Carjack Unfinished Business
by Brownwyn18
Summary: Life for Jack & Carly has never been normal. However, they are finally together, happily married with a new little one on the way. Are their troubles really over? Or will unfinished business from their past destroy what they've worked so hard to rebuild?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

It was early morning. The darkness of the night still filled the sky, though hints of light had begun to peek out over the tops of the highest trees. The familiar smell of coffee was slowly wafting into the room. A smile spread across Carly's face. She automatically reached across the bed, knowing full well Jack was already up and dressed. She was surprised when she actually made contact with him. She opened her eyes and saw him smiling down at her. He squeezed her hand gently bringing it to his lips for a kiss and whispered "Good morning."

"Morning G-Man. You're up awfully early," Carly said as she stretched and adjusted her growing belly. She was nearly into her third trimester and so far the pregnancy had gone beautifully. No preeclampsia, no high-blood pressure, nothing. Just a normal, average pregnancy. At times Carly could hardly believe it. Nothing in her life was ever normal or average.

"How are you and the baby feeling this morning," asked Jack quickly helping Carly settle herself into a different position. He scooted over towards her, with his back against the headboard so that she could curl up against him. He rubbed her back and put his other hand on the baby. He smiled. Jack still couldn't believe their luck in finding out Carly was pregnant on their wedding day. He'd been disappointed when he'd found out that Dusty was actually the father of Janet's baby boy. But the disappointment vanished quickly when he realized that it was the best thing that could have happened. He'd never wanted to have a child with Janet. The entire pregnancy was a disaster and nearly ruined his chance at having everything he'd ever wanted with Carly. He would never make that mistake again. He laid his cheek on the top of her head.

"We're just fine. Still a little tired though," Carly replied snuggling even closer to Jack, resting her head on his chest and closing her eyes again. She smiled to herself. Jack had decided that he wanted to be surprised about the sex of the baby and she was having a heck of time keeping that information from him. She lifted her head, grinning at him with a raised eyebrow and said, "I think I could use another 4 hours. Do you mind just sitting here and holding us?"

Jack brought a hand to her cheek and gently caressed her lower lip with his thumb. Carly's mouth had always hypnotized him and he never got tired of kissing her. He looked into her eyes and recognized the desire burning there. Jack watched her. Her lips parted and her breathing increased as she gazed back at him. She licked her lips in anticipation. That was enough for Jack. He leaned down toward her pausing less than an inch away from her mouth and inhaled her. From their very first kiss in Montana - nothing had changed. She intoxicated him and he could never get enough of her. He brushed his lips slowly across hers and she responded immediately. Carly slid her hand up Jack's arm to his shoulder, around his neck and started rubbing her fingers through his hair. Carly smiled slightly at the moan of pleasure coming from Jack. After all this time they each knew the other so well. Jack's kiss became more demanding. His hand left her cheek, sliding down her neck and brushed against her breast as it joined his other hand on her back and pulled her gently closer. Now it was Carly's turn to moan. She started fumbling for Jack's shirt buttons and was successful at undoing the first three when Jack pulled back from their kiss and smiled. "Are you trying to get me to play hooky Mrs. Snyder?"

"Well, you're the detective - what do you think?" She smiled coyly at him.

He kissed the top of her head, "You know there is nothing else I'd rather do than stay here in bed with you… but I need to get to the station. Margo's on vacation this week. And I have got a ton of extra work just waiting on my desk for me. How about we meet right back here tonight and we can… uh… pick up where we left off. Sound like a plan?" he said looking into her beautiful blue eyes and feeling himself becoming distracted by her yet again.

Carly sighed and put off claiming victory until later that night. She kissed him once more before allowing him to get up, tuck his shirt back in and button himself back up. She got back under the covers and decided to try and get some more sleep while she still could. "I'm gonna hold you to that, you know."

Jack pulled the covers over her and brushed a strand of hair away from her face and said, "I wouldn't have it any other way." He gave her a sexy smile and kissed her gently on the cheek. He headed downstairs and grabbed a cup of coffee for the road. Grabbed his gun and badge from the safe and locked the door behind him.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

It was mid morning and Jack had barely made a dent in the stack of reports in his in-box. Still, things were running smoothly and, for that, Jack was grateful. He glanced at the recent Christmas picture of his family on his desk and smiled. Pretty soon there would be a new little face to add to the happy family smiling back at him. He looked at each of his kids in the photo. Sage was the light of his life. He couldn't recall her ever being so happy. She was thrilled that her parents remarried and was even more ecstatic when they told her about the pregnancy. She'd been such a huge help for Carly - always willing to do what ever she could to help out. JJ was thrilled about the pregnancy as well. He'd wanted to come back home and finish school in Oakdale, but with Jack and Carly's urging decided to return to boarding school and finish up his last year. Parker was also thrilled with the turn of events. His decision to go to the Academy had given him a drive to really start focusing on his final year in school and his grades were so improved that Jack couldn't have been happier. He was still apprehensive about Parker's decision. But Parker's confidence and determination made him prouder than he could ever have hoped to be. The thought of one day possibly working along side Parker was something Jack was looking forward to. Jack drew his eyes away from the picture and back to stack of papers waiting for his attention. He finished up the report in his hand and as he grabbed for the next one on top - a name on a file a few reports down jumped out at him. He immediately grabbed the file and scanned it. Julia Lindsey. Apparently there had been reported sightings of Julia along the Canadian border. But so far, all had been unconfirmed. Jack looked up from the file and called out to the desk sergeant.

"Hopkins!" Jack yelled getting to his feet. "Why was this file in with the other cases in my in-box? This should have been brought directly to my attention as soon as you got it." At Jack's outburst, several other officers turned their attention toward him.

"I'm sorry Detective, I didn't know," Hopkins apologized. "From now on, I'll make sure to bring anything related to this case directly to you as soon as I get it."

"See that you do. Dismissed." Jack looked at the other officers in the squad room, "Everybody back to work!" he said returning to desk. He cleared off all the other reports and went over the Julia's case file again. He scanned the report thoroughly. There wasn't any evidence that Julia was heading towards Oakdale. He thought for a moment and tried to rationalize things. Why would she possibly return at this point anyway? There was no reason for her to come back now. The last time he and Carly had heard from her was when she was trying to pass off a baby she'd kidnapped, as Jack's son. He'd become attached to the child and accepted it as his own, only to then have it be revealed that the child wasn't his after all. Just one more way Julia twisted his life into knots. He knew she was sick at that point, but he never believed her capable of kidnapping an innocent baby and using it that way.

Baby! Panic started rising in Jack's throat. What if Julia had somehow found out that Carly was pregnant? He wouldn't put anything past Julia as far as Carly was concerned. She'd tried to kill her twice before. The thought of anyone harming Carly made Jack's blood boil. He would never let anyone touch one hair on her head. And he certainly wouldn't allow anything to happen to their baby. Well that settled it. Jack would take extra precautions to make sure that Carly and his kids were kept safe. But how to go about it so that he didn't arouse any suspicion in Carly. That was his dilemma. He certainly didn't want to mention it to her. This pregnancy was going so well. If telling her about Julia were to cause her or the baby stress - he'd never forgive himself. Especially if all this worry was for nothing. Better not to mention it for now and take subtle steps to ensure everyone's safety.

_Meanwhile, back in Milltown…_

Sage had the day off from school and she and Carly were sitting in the living room going through all the new things they'd purchased for the nursery. Blankets, toys and clothes. Carly was thrilled that Sage was so happy about the baby. Sage was already talking about babysitting and changing diapers. She and Carly had become even closer since the pregnancy and it meant the world to Carly to have that bond with her daughter. They were trying to get everything organized when the doorbell rang. Sage jumped up and answered the door. "Package for Mrs. Snyder," said the postman. "I just need you to sign here." Sage signed for the package and thanked him as he left.

"It doesn't say who it's from," Sage frowned looking at the package. It wasn't very big - about the size of a shoe box and was wrapped in standard brown wrapping. She handed it to her mother.

"Well, let's find out what it is," replied Carly. She opened the package to reveal a box wrapped in pretty pastel colors with a card attached. She opened the card. It was a note simply saying Congratulations and nothing more. She looked at the box hoping for another hint as to who it was from but found nothing. She opened it and took out the beautiful silver baby rattle inside. She turned it over in her hand looking at the exquisite etching on the outside. She shook it and listened to the lovely tinkling sounds the bell inside made. "It's stunning. I wonder who it's from?" she said as she looked at Sage.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Carly was straightening up the living room. Jack would be home soon for dinner. Parker and Sage had plans for the evening and were staying the night at a friend's house. Carly had planned a nice quiet dinner for two and was fully intending to ensure that nothing interrupted their evening. Jack had promised to pick up where they'd left off that morning… Carly would see to it that it happened. She finished putting the last few things away and checked the food in the oven. She'd ordered from their favorite restaurant, The Black Duck and was keeping it warm until Jack was ready to eat. She turned on some music and headed upstairs to change.

At the station, Jack was finishing up the last of his reports. He honestly was amazed that he'd gotten them all done, given the fact that he'd been totally distracted. Ever since he saw Julia's file, he couldn't shake this nagging fear that this wasn't just a coincidence. He'd made a few calls to the FBI and they had assured him that they were on top of things. That as far as they were concerned, the woman sighted along the border wasn't Julia. This didn't do much to assuage Jack's fears, but he felt better knowing that they were aware of the situation and would continue to be vigilant. Once he was done with all his paperwork, he cleared his desk and grabbed his coat and headed home. Carly had called a little while ago asking when he thought he'd be home for dinner. She said they'd be alone tonight and he was anxious to see his wife.

Jack arrived home and put his key into the door to discover that it wasn't locked. A frown creased his forehead as he shook his head and thought about how vulnerable his wife had been. He would need to make sure that this never happened again and was deciding on how best to broach the subject without raising suspicion. Jack walked into the house, locking the door behind him and hung up his coat. He had decided to surprise Carly with flowers, so he'd stopped on the way home and picked some up. He set his keys on the desk and looked around and the frown he'd been holding disappeared. The living room was romantically lit with candles and he could smell something delicious coming from the kitchen. He heard the soft sounds of music playing in the background. "Carly," he called out as he walked toward the kitchen. No reply came and when he got to the kitchen, he found it empty. He pulled open the oven to take a peek at what was making his stomach growl and saw the take out boxes from The Black Duck. He smiled and closed it again making his way back toward the living room, with the flowers still in hand. He opened his mouth to call for Carly again, when he stopped short and lost his breath. Standing at the bottom of the stairs was his wife. Her hair was pulled back haphazardly with a few tendrils breaking free and framing her gorgeous face. He took his time looking her over. Letting his eyes roam every inch of her body. She was wearing a black robe with a sexy black nighty that fell to mid-thigh. Upon further inspection he noticed that it had tiny light pink flowers that perfectly matched the pink of her lips. Those luscious lips that were curved into a very seductive smile.

"Are those flowers for me?" Carly asked glancing from the flowers to Jack's eyes. She knew instantly that he liked what he saw.

The question brought Jack out of the trance Carly had so easily put him under. He'd forgotten all about the flowers he was holding. He raised his eyes slowly, deliberately - letting his gaze linger on swell of her breasts. Then he looked into her eyes again and smiled back, "Yes they are."

Carly smiled, "I hope you're hungry. I stopped and picked up your favorites."

"I'm starving," he said as he crossed the room toward her, his gaze holding hers the entire time. His voice was low and husky and Carly knew he wasn't referring to the food in the oven. She held her breath in anticipation. He stopped just short of her, barely inches apart. They could both feel the electricity, the tingling of their skin aching to be touched. He could sense her heartbeat quicken, for it matched his own. Carly lowered her lashes and took a deep breath to try and calm herself. She was continuously amazed by the power he had over her. There was never a question in her mind that they were made for each other. Carly reached out for the flowers and Jack handed them over. He made sure to let his fingers linger over hers. Even that innocent touch sent shivers coursing through her. She looked up into his warm brown eyes from beneath her lashes and said, "They're beautiful, thank you."

"Just like you," Jack said sweetly back to her. He leaned closer and gave her a soft kiss on her cheek. "Thank you… for tonight," he added.

"Don't thank me just yet," Carly teased. "You haven't even had dinner." She brushed past him with the flowers in hand. He turned and caught her by the wrist, pulling her back toward him so that she had her back against his broad chest. He wrapped his arms around her and nuzzled her neck. "I missed you," he said in between kisses. Carly allowed herself to get lost in the moment, leaning back into him and letting her head fall on his shoulder. She'd missed him too. Jack slid her robe off one shoulder. His lips followed, kissing the newly exposed skin. Carly sighed and reminded him that dinner was waiting for them. Jack trailed his kisses back up her neck to her ear and replied in a throaty whisper, "I think I'd rather start with dessert."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Carly lost the ability to form a coherent thought as Jack resumed kissing her neck. She allowed her body the pleasure of reacting to Jack's touches and moaned with delight when Jack nipped at her neck. She reached up with a hand and let her fingers play with the hair at the back of his neck. Jack slid his hands down to Carly's hips and firmly pulled her closer and held her there. Carly could feel the extent of his arousal through the thin fabric of her nighty. She reached around behind her with her other hand, grabbed his hip and pulled him tightly to her. Jack groaned. Reaching down, he slid his hands along her thighs and under her nighty. Arriving at his destination, his thumbs hooked the thin fabric of her panties and slid them down. Carly obliged him by stepping out of them as her grip on his hip loosened and she twisted around to face him. She needed to touch his skin, to feel his warmth. Her fingers quickly found the buttons of his shirt, while his went to his jeans and belt. Carly got the shirt opened as Jack kicked off his socks and shoes and then his jeans. He scooped her up in his arms as his lips sought hers. She grabbed hold of his neck as he carried her upstairs to their bed.

Jack set Carly gently on the bed and stood up to discard his shirt. Carly got to her knees at the edge and pulled Jack closer. She let her hands slide over his broad shoulders down and around to his back as she leaned in started kissing his chest. Jack's hands involuntarily found their way to her hair and then to sides of her face. He tilted her face towards him as his mouth sought hers. He kissed her softly at first, but as she slid her hands to the waistband of his boxers, letting her fingers slide them slowly down - his kiss became more demanding. Carly was growing impatient. Her body needed a release and she decided to let Jack know she was more than ready. She moved her hand slowly down his abs and hesitated only briefly to tease him before wrapping her hand around what she desired. Jack inhaled sharply and groaned her name. His lips found hers again. Still on her knees, Carly started backing away from the edge of the bed to allow Jack access - their lips never parting. He joined her on the bed. Carly broke the kiss and looked at him with a grin and pushed him back into a sitting position. She licked her lips and moved over to straddled him. Jack grabbed the hem of her nighty and pulled it up and over her head. He let his hands slide back down to grip her hips and guide her as Carly lowered herself onto him, allowing him to fill her completely. Once they were fully connected they began to move as one, slowly at first, savoring the sensations building within them. Carly bit her lower lip and let her head fall back, giving Jack an open invitation to her smooth neck. He kissed her and tasted her as his tongue traced circles along her collar bone. Jack reached up with one hand, cupped her breast and let his thumb tease her nipple until it hardened. He smiled when she inhaled sharply, knowing how much she enjoyed that. Jack's mouth and tongue slowly made their way down to the swell of her other breast. Carly arched her back in anticipation. He stopped just above the other nipple, letting his warm breath caress it before flicking it lightly with his tongue. Carly moaned with pure pleasure and her grip on Jack's shoulders tightened. He sucked the nipple into his warm mouth and continued to tease it with the tip of his tongue. "Oh Jack," Carly breathed as she began moving faster. With her new sense of urgency Jack, resumed his grip on her hips guiding himself deeper until he felt her release as she cried out his name again. He thrust a few more times and gave his own release as Carly placed her hands on the sides of his face and kissed him deeply as he held her hips firmly in place while the waves of ecstasy washed over them. They held each other as their breathing returned to normal.

In one graceful and gentle motion, Jack rolled to his side and laid Carly next to him. He propped his head up with his elbow and with his free hand placed it on Carly's stomach. "Baby OK?" he questioned, not wanting to overdo it or make Carly uncomfortable. As if on cue, the baby kicked a response against the palm of his hand. Jack grinned.

"Well that should answer your question," Carly chuckled. "We're just fine. Better than fine actually," Carly purred as she stretched in sated satisfaction. "That was wonderful." She reach up and caressed the side of his face and leaned up and gave him a soft kiss.

He smiled back at her. "I'm starving," he said in mock seriousness. Carly's eyes widened in surprise and her mouth fell open. "I can't believe you didn't want dinner earlier," he teased with a sexy grin. Carly gave him a playful shove.

"We may have to order pizza, since I have a feeling that our take-out might be a bit on the dry side, " Carly scolded getting up off the bed. She went over to the dresser and grabbed her most comfy lounge pants and t-shirt.

Jack followed her lead and dressed in pajama pants and a tank. He reached for her hand as they walked out of the room to head downstairs. "I don't care what we have for dinner," Jack said bringing her hand to his lips for a kiss. "As long as we can have dessert afterwards."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

Jack and Carly were able to salvage most of their meal from the Black Duck. They spent a quiet night enjoying each other's company, sitting on the sofa and talking. They talked about work, the kids and the baby. It was at this point that Carly, once again, broached the subject of letting Jack in on the sex of the baby.

"Are you sure you don't want to know?" Carly asked for what seemed like the millionth time. Never one to enjoy waiting for things, Carly didn't understand how Jack was resisting the temptation. Patience was not one of her virtues.

"Absolutely not! Carly, don't you even think about spilling that information. Do I have to get a gag order?" Jack teased. "You know I could do it."

"Honestly, there are days when I think that you are deliberately not wanting to find out because you know how much it's driving me crazy," she declared. She raised her eyebrow at him, challenging him to deny it.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Jack replied innocently pulling her closer to him. He kissed her forehead and laughed.

"We'll just see about that. You keep it up and perhaps while you're at work, I'll have someone come in and paint the nursery either pink or blue. Then it won't be a secret anymore and we'll see who's laughing then," she teased back. "Or perhaps you'll come home and I'll have little dresses hanging in the closet or toy trucks on the floor. Oh, speaking of baby toys, we received a baby gift today," Carly told him. "A beautiful silver rattle."

"Oh yeah," Jack replied. "Who from?"

"Well that's the oddest thing. There wasn't a name on the package or an address," she explained. "Sage and I were going through some of the baby items today, when it was delivered." Instinctively, Jack perked up at this information and asked to see the gift. "It's very pretty and must have cost quite a bit. I think it must be from Rosanna. But why would she have it delivered and not bring it by herself?" Carly pondered. She continued her train of thought. "I supposed she must have ordered it. I'll have to call her tomorrow to thank her," Carly said as got up and went to fetch the rattle. She handed it to Jack.

Jack looked at the box, tilting it over and inspecting it for any clue as to where it originated from. Not finding anything, he opened the box and peered inside. Wrapped in tissue was the silver rattle. The etching was beautiful. He listened to the delicate tinkling of the bell as he shook it. Jack looked inside the box for anything Carly might have missed, but came up empty. "You're right, it is odd," Jack said concern showing on his face. He checked the card, but it only had the word "_Congratulations_" printed on it - nothing else.

Carly noticed Jack's change in demeanor and the frown on his face. "I'm sure it's nothing," she said trying to reassure him. "You know, it could be from Meg. I'm sure she's heard from Emma that we're expecting and maybe she was able to order it," she rationalized. Jack was silent for a moment. He had hundreds of scenarios running through his head. He noticed Carly looking at him with confusion, not understanding his reaction to the beautiful gift. He quickly erased the frown and gave her a smile.

"I'm sure you're right," he said. "There's a reasonable explanation and I'm sure we'll figure it out at some point. It is very nice."

Carly looked at him for a moment before answering. "Is everything OK?" she asked.

"Of course it is. Why wouldn't it be?" Jack replied.

"I don't know. You're reaction wasn't what I was expecting, I guess," she explained. "But once a G-Man always a G-Man," she smiled.

"Your G-Man," he said putting the rattle back in the box and leaning over to kiss her cheek. Carly closed her eyes and sighed. Jack got up and put the box with the rattle in it on the desk. Now that he had the events from earlier today back in his head, he decided to mention the door lock situation. "You know with the new baby coming, I think I'd like to install a security system," he said looking back at Carly gauging her reaction. As he expected, she was curious as to his motives.

"Why do we need a security system for the new baby, Jack?"

"I've actually been wanting to have one installed for quite awhile now. I just haven't gotten around to it. Our life has been anything but uneventful this past year," Jack responded, hoping that this would be sufficient explanation.

Carly thought about it and gave a little shrug to her shoulders. "Yeah, I suppose you have a point there," she chuckled. "You're sure nothing's wrong though," she asked looking him in the eye.

"Nothing to worry about," he said smiling as he walked back over to her and sat down next to her. He pulled her into a protective hug, not allowing Carly to see the concern creep back into his face.

Carly hugged him back, concern appearing on her face as well. She too had many questions running through her head. First and foremost, though, was why was Jack lying to her?


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

The next day at the station, Jack was on hold, waiting impatiently for information. He was contacting the shipping company that delivered the mysterious silver baby rattle yesterday. He was attempting to find out where the package originated from. He took a sip of coffee and sighed loudly.

"Thanks for holding Detective Snyder," said the customer service representative. "It looks like the package was shipped from a company _Exquis Argent _in Montreal." Canada. This couldn't be a coincidence, could it? First the possible Julia sightings along the border and now this. Jack's mind was racing with questions. The woman on the phone gave him the address and phone number they had on file for the company. Jack verified the spelling and asked if she knew what that stood for. "I'm sorry, I don't know. I assume it's French, if that helps," she said.

"Thank you for the information," Jack said and hung up the phone before she could finish saying "Thank you for calling". He picked up the phone again and dialed the number he was given for _Exquis Argent_. A woman answered in French. "Do you speak English," Jack inquired.

"But of course, thank you for calling _Exquisite Silver_" the woman replied. "How may I help you?"

Jack explained he was a detective in the States and was looking for information about a package that was shipped from the store. The woman on the other end explained that they had very elite clientele and that they wouldn't divulge any information about any of their patrons without the proper legal documents, especially since he was calling from the United States. "Fine," Jack replied curtly, knowing that he wouldn't be able to press the issue any further… yet. "You'll be hearing from me again."

"I look forward to it," the woman said. Jack could clearly detect a bit snideness in her response. He hung up the phone and sighed again. He drained the rest of his cold coffee and grimaced. It tasted awful. He grabbed his coat and decided to go to Java to get a decent cup of coffee and to give himself a chance to cool down before contacting the authorities in Montreal.

_Meanwhile in Milltown…_

Carly had spent a quiet morning drinking her tea, having some yogurt and reading the newspaper. She was very thankful to be done with the morning sickness at this point. She enjoyed being pregnant, but that was one thing she could do without. The kids weren't home yet and so she was enjoying her alone time. She was heading into the kitchen to make herself some toast when there was a knock at the door. She made a detour around the sofa and went to answer it.

"Can I help you?" Carly asked the man at the door. He was wearing a company shirt with a logo on it that read _O.S.S. - Oakdale Security Systems_.

The man looked down at his clipboard and back up at Carly. "Yes, I'm here for an 11:30 appointment for a security system installation. I'm Dave and I'll get you set up here real quick. Shouldn't take but maybe an hour at the most."

Carly looked at him perplexed. "I think you must have the wrong house. I don't know anything about an appointment and I certainly didn't call and set up the appointment," she said.

Dave looked up at the numbers on the outside of the house to verify the address. "No, this is the right address - 123 Elm Street," he told her turning his clipboard with the work order to face her so that she could read it herself.

"Do you mind telling me who did," she asked knowing full well it was Jack.

"Uh, sure. Just give me a second here," he answered looking back over his work order again. "Yes, here it is. Detective Jack Snyder called this morning and asked if we could squeeze him today. We were actually booked a week out, but Detective Snyder has often referred us to people and so we had no problems being able to accommodate him as sort of a _thank-you_," he explained.

"Well, how fortunate we are that you could fit us in," Carly said sarcastically. Dave looked at her in confusion. "Never mind," she said. Carly shook her head and stepped aside to let Dave in. She knew he wasn't the one she was irritated with. "Please come in. My husband neglected to inform me that you would be stopping by this morning," she explained. Dave gave her an uncomfortable smile and walked inside.

Dave was very efficient. He went straight to work and had the system installed in very little time. He explained the settings to Carly and helped her set a code for the alarm. All in all, it took just under an hour like Dave had said. "Thanks for getting that done so quickly," Carly said. "And sorry again for earlier. I just wasn't expecting company."

"Not a problem. Have a nice afternoon," Dave replied heading out the door.

Carly shut the door and entered the code to set it. Might as well use the damn thing since we have it Carly thought to herself. She headed to the kitchen to get her toast. She was just putting the bread in the toaster when the alarm rang out and she heard a scream. Nearly jumping out of her skin, Carly raced to the living room where she saw Sage covering her ears and looking panicked. She hurried over to the alarm system and entered the code. The alarm still blared. She tried entering the code again. Still no result. Carly swore an oath to herself to strangle Jack when she saw him.

"What's going on?" Sage hollered.

"Your father decided that we needed a security system," Carly yelled over the alarm as the phone rang. Carly grabbed it and answered. "This is Oakdale Security Systems," the caller identified himself. "Do you have an intruder?" he asked.

"No, my daughter came home not knowing we just had the system installed and set it off. I tried punching in our code, but it's not turning off," Carly explained. He asked her for their secret code word. Carly gave it to him and miraculously the alarm ceased. "Oh thank you," Carly sighed.

"Not a problem. Is there anything else I can help you with?" he asked.

"No, thank you," Carly said. She hung up the phone, closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Her ears were still ringing and didn't think that would end any time soon. Pushing the chaos of the alarm and her plans for Jack out of her mind, she opened her eyes, looked at Sage and smiled. "Did you have a nice time over at Haley's?"

"Yeah, we had a great time. We went to the mall and then we stayed up watching movies and had popcorn," she said. She told her mom all about the fun nail polish she bought, holding up her nails for inspection. She rambled on about the movie trying to explain what happened, but Carly got lost about half way through. Taking a breath and gathering her thoughts, Sage asked, "Why did Dad get us a security system?"

"Apparently, he thinks we need one. I'd better call your brother and warn him about it. The last thing we need is for him to come home and set that thing off again." Carly picked up the phone and spoke with Parker, asking him to call her when he got home, but before he opened the door. He too asked why they needed it. Carly explained that his father thought it was necessary and that he was mostly likely getting into that over-protective mode because of the impending birth of the baby. Parker didn't seem too convinced that this was the only reason. Carly couldn't blame him, she didn't either.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

Jack was at a table in Java sipping his latte and thinking. His thoughts continued to drift from possible motivation to preventative measures. He had no doubts whatsoever that if Julia could do harm, she would. But in order to figure out what she might do, he needed to figure out why. Why now? That was the question. If that rattle was from her, then clearly their baby was her motivation. That thought scared him more than anything. It also brought out a fierce determined mindset. Jack would do anything he had to, to protect Carly and the baby. But again, why now? Carly had already been pregnant before with Sage and she'd not contacted them then. Though, thinking back, Carly had announced she was pregnant right after Jack had to return baby JJ to his real parents and Julia had skipped town. He supposed that it would have been too soon for her to make another appearance. These and other thoughts kept swirling around when Jack heard two women laughing loudly as they entered Java. Distracted, Jack looked up to see Barbara Ryan and Lisa Grimaldi. Correction he thought to himself, Barbara Coleman… Mrs. Henry Coleman. Jack still had a hard time wrapping his mind around that one. Clearly though, their union was working because Jack hadn't seen Barbara this happy in years. The two women stepped up to the counter and order a couple of coffees and made their way to a table on the other side of the place. Jack shook his head. The irony of Barbara and Lisa walking in at just that moment when he was thinking of their former friend amazed him. He drained the last of his coffee and crossed the room to talk with them.

"Good afternoon ladies," he said warmly to them.

"Why hello Jack," Barbara beamed at him. "I haven't seen you in a while. I hear congratulations are in order. Carly's expecting again. You both must be thrilled."

"We are, we most definitely are, thank you," said Jack smiling back at her. He was watching her closely and realized that her sincerity and happiness for them was genuine. "And how are you doing?" Jack asked politely, turning to Lisa.

"Well can't complain. Keeping busy at the Lakeview and plan on taking a trip this spring to Arizona to visit Bob and Kim. And yes, I'd heard that Carly's pregnant again. No surprises this time, Jack?" Lisa asked. She couldn't pass up the opportunity without getting in a little dig at Carly.

Jack gave her look, that put her in her place without the benefit of obliging her with an answer. He turned his attention back to Barbara. "I must admit that my reason for coming over wasn't just a social one. I actually was wondering if either of you have heard from Julia recently?" he asked, trying to sound as professional, yet casual if possible.

The question clearly threw Barbara for a loop. "What makes you think she'd contact one of us? Has something happened?" Barbara asked clearly concerned. Whatever warm and fuzzy feelings she used to have for Julia Lindsay were long gone. She remembered back to when Julia had held her hostage for a brief time. That had been a dark time for Barbara, having been scarred badly by an explosion not meant for her. She'd learned that Julia was the one who had set that in motion. She could see that the woman who, at one time had been a dear friend, was no longer there. In her place was this shell of a person barely capable of feeling anything other than rage or desperation. Barbara had feared for her life that night. She hoped that she would not be visited by Julia ever again. Barbara also knew the feelings and the motivations that controlled all of Julia's actions. Had she not also done things in the name of revenge? Barbara was very thankful that she had managed to escape the bonds of insanity that had come so close to ruining her life.

Jack could see the fear creep into Barbara's eyes as she waited for him to explain why he was asking about Julia. He glanced at Lisa. He didn't see fear in her eyes, just curiosity as to why he would be wondering about their former friend. Jack explained to them that there had been reports of a woman matching Julia's description near the Canadian border. He also reminded them that Julia was still wanted by the police and the FBI in connection to the kidnapping and the attempted murder charges. He looked pointedly at Lisa when he said this.

She didn't miss the insinuation. Leveling her eyes at him, she said that she wasn't afraid of Julia contacting her. Seeing Jack raise his eyebrows at that response she quickly added that she would, of course, let Margo know if she at some point Julia contacted her, but doubted it would happen. "Now, if you'll excuse me," Lisa said dramatically. "I need to be getting back to work. Barbara, it was fun. Let's do this again real soon." Giving the woman a peck on the cheek, she turned to face Jack and said, "Jack… always a pleasure."

Barbara frowned at the exchange. She looked at Jack and asked pointedly if there was something he wasn't telling her. Jack forced a convincing smile and reassured her that he was just being thorough. He told her that he didn't think Julia was a threat to her at all and that at this point the sightings were all unconfirmed. A frown crept back onto his face. He looked down for a moment and then asked, "Do you think Lisa would help Julia if she asked her to?"

Barbara was thoughtful for a moment. "I honestly don't know. She always has had a soft spot for her, you know that Jack. She was very upset at how she felt Julia was treated by you and Carly."

Jack sighed. Despite knowing the full truth about everything that Julia did, Lisa still didn't hold her accountable for any of the choices Julia made. "Thanks for your honesty, Barbara. It means a lot. I know that you and Carly haven't always gotten along, but I know that she has a lot of respect for you and you have done some amazing things together in the past." He smiled. "If by chance you do hear from Julia, would you please let me know?"

"Of course Jack. And yes, despite the feelings of animosity over the years between Carly and myself, I too have a lot of respect for her. We're a lot more alike than either of us would like to admit," she smiled sheepishly back at him. "But don't tell her that," she laughed. "Take care," she reached up and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "And be sure to tell Carly I said congratulations."

"Will do and thanks Barbara. Give my best to Henry," he said. She gave him a brilliant smile and assured him she would and left Jack to resume his thoughts.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

Despite the drama of the alarm earlier in the afternoon, things had been relatively peaceful since then. Carly and Sage had gone into Old Town and done some shopping. Sage had a science project she needed supplies for and Parker needed a book for English class. They finished their errands fairly quickly and so Carly, despite the still chilly temperatures of early March, decided that they'd stop and treat themselves to some ice-cream. They stopped at Al's. There was a time not so long ago that Carly would have dreaded coming here. Jack's ex used to work here. A few months back Janet, Dusty and their baby moved to Chicago. Janet was still looking for approval from her family. She and Dusty had gotten married and she was hoping that with her new baby and her new husband, who just happened to be very wealthy, she'd be able to prove that she'd accomplished something in her life. Carly was happy to see her go. Sure things had finally managed to right themselves, but not after months and months of needless heartache… and manipulation. Carly did her best to mend fences and make peace, but she knew that she and Janet would never be friends. Now that she'd moved, thankfully the moments of having to fake niceties no longer took place. For that, Carly was thankful.

Carly and Sage settled into a booth, Sage more gracefully than Carly at this point in her pregnancy. The server came and took their order - Sage a strawberry milkshake and Carly a hot fudge sundae. She returned shortly afterwards with a couple of glasses of water and their treats. Carly was a few bites in when there was some commotion on the other side of the diner. A blond woman was attempting to leave the restaurant. Apparently she'd placed an order for a couple of things, some of which she'd eaten and some that was still being prepared. She seemed to be in quite a hurry because she didn't have time to wait for the remainder of her order or a bill. Her server was trying to let her know she'd get her a new total on her tab, but the blond was having nothing to do with it. Another server behind the counter informed the two women in the situation that she'd called the police and they'd be here any minute. The blond immediately started apologizing profusely and procured a $50 bill from her purse and handed it to her server. The money produced the desired affect and, during a moment of surprise, the blond customer was able to get past her without any additional hassle and left the restaurant.

Sage and the rest of the patrons at Al's returned to their food and conversations. Carly on the other hand got her server's attention. "What was that all about?" Carly asked her.

"Apparently, the woman was in an extreme hurry. She'd forgotten about an appointment she had and she was trying to leave without paying for anything. Her server, Amy, tried to get her taken care of as quickly as possible, but then she started arguing about the service and the poor quality of food. Personally, between you and me, I didn't think she had any money and was trying to eat and run. Carrie told her she'd called the police, but she really didn't. Usually that's all it takes to get people to settle down. Which is what happened. And anyway, Amy ended up with a nice tip after everything was said and done, so…." she trailed off with a shrug of her shoulders.

Carly thought about things. She'd never seen anything like that happen during her time working at Al's. Boy, that seemed like a lifetime ago. One moment she'd had nearly everything she'd ever wanted… Parker, Jack and more money than she could count, though she'd tried too. The next moment her world had come crashing down. She'd lost Jack and lost custody of Parker all at once. The money, that at one time she couldn't envision living without, suddenly didn't seem important at all. She'd realized that no amount of money would ever be able to replace what she'd really wanted. Love, a family, a sense of peace. Something that she'd never had growing up. Something she'd never had until she met Jack. That was when she'd started to really try and change. To make an effort to prove to, not only Jack, but to herself that she was capable of so much more. While she didn't always enjoy working at Al's, though there were some definite perks. The police station was very close by and Jack would often frequent there on his lunches. Getting a chance to see Jack each day was like a ray of light and something that kept her going when all she wanted to do was quit.

Carly chuckled to herself, thinking back to how far she and Jack had come since that time. They'd had so many ups and downs. She was so lost in thought that she didn't hear Sage trying to get her attention at first.

"Mom… mom! Is everything OK? Mom?" Carly had been just poking at her ice cream with her spoon. She looked up, still not really hearing what Sage was saying and stared blankly at her. "Mom, are you feeling alright?" Sage asked worriedly.

"Hmmm? Oh yeah, I'm fine honey. I'm sorry. I just got to thinking back to a time long ago. Back to when I used to work here," she said trying her best to reassure her daughter.

"Well, you've let your sundae melt and now it looks like soup," Sage laughed. "If you didn't want it, I would have eaten it for you."

"Oh you would have, would you?" she smiled back at her. "I guess I wasn't as hungry for ice cream as I thought I was. These cravings certainly come and go. If you're all finished, I'll go pay and we'll get going home." she said. They packed up their bags. Carly paid their server leaving a nice tip and headed back to Milltown.

_Back at the station…_

Jack had returned to work after his encounter with Barbara and Lisa. He knew he could count on Barbara to let him know if Julia made contact with her. Lisa… he wasn't so sure, and that worried him. He didn't believe that Lisa would ever knowingly help Julia do something that would harm Carly or his kids, but her inability to see Julia for what she really was is what bothered him. He pushed his thoughts about Lisa and Julia aside and concentrated on taking the next step in obtaining information from _Exquisite Silver _in Montreal. He decided his best course of action would be to contact his buddy in the FBI and fill him in on the gift they'd received.

"Come on Jack. Do you really think Julia would send you and Carly a gift? You sure this isn't just your imagination running wild, what with the new baby and all?" Daryl asked him. Jack knew it sounded a bit paranoid, but he couldn't shake the feeling that all of these things weren't just a coincidence.

"Daryl you know me. You know my track record as far as my instincts go. I've got a bad feeling that Julia is planning something," he pleaded. "Please just help me out. If it turns out to be nothing, then I won't bother you again," Jack said. "At least about anything personal," he added.

"Yeah OK. I know you wouldn't call unless you really thought it was important. I'll do what I can to find out what I can and I'll get back to you," he said. "It's late there Jack, you should be home with your family. Say hi to Carly for me," he said.

"Oh, um yeah, I'll tell her you said hi," Jack replied. Daryl caught the hint of uneasiness of Jack's response.

"Jack, have you not spoken with Carly about your suspicions?" he asked. Jack closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He knew what Daryl was going to say next. "You know, you really ought to tell her. She'd want to know," Daryl said. "Besides, think if the roles were reversed Jack. How would you react?"

Jack knew exactly how he would react. He would have gotten quiet at first. Anger would have seethed through him and then he would have started yelling. He would have been upset with Carly keeping this from him. However, Jack also knew Carly's medical history and had that on his side.

"Yeah thanks for the advice Daryl. I'll think about it," Jack said. "And thanks for the help. I'll be waiting to hear from you."


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

Jack pulled into the driveway and parked. Lost in a jumble of thoughts continuing to race through his head, he didn't notice that the house was dark and that there didn't seem to be any activity coming from within. He walked up to the porch and put his key in the door, noting with thanks that it was indeed locked. He had time to turn on the lights and notice that it appeared that no one was home when the loud blare of an alarm sounded. A memory of a call he'd made first thing that morning upon getting to work came to his mind. Jack yelled out for Carly, Parker or Sage with so response. He noticed the alarm box next to the front door and a million numbers raced through his mind. He entered the obvious ones - Carly's birthday, his birthday and the kids with no success. The phone began ringing. Sticking a finger in one ear to help hear the caller, Jack answered it. "Hello?"

"This is Oakdale Security Systems, do you have an intruder?"

"No, this is Jack Snyder. I live here and we had the alarm system installed this morning. Unfortunately my wife isn't here and I don't know the code," he shouted over the alarm.

"Not a problem. If you can just give us the password, we can shut if off for you," the dispatcher said.

Jack gave a sort of chuckle. "Well, the thing is, I don't have that either. I haven't had a chance to talk with her since it's been installed and like I said, she's not home."

It was during this conversation that Carly and Sage had pulled up to the house. Even with the engine and radio on in the car, Carly could hear the new alarm system blaring loud and clear. She smiled with smug satisfaction. She couldn't have planned that more perfectly if she'd tried. "Serves him right," she said under her breath.

"What was that?" Sage asked her mother.

"Oh nothing. Just singing along to the song. It looks like your father's home," she continued to smile - loving every single moment the alarm continued to blare. She parked the car. Sage grabbed the bags from their shopping trip.

"Doesn't dad know how to turn off the alarm?" she asked hurrying up to the house.

"Oh, I must have _forgotten_ to call him this morning. I suppose we should help him out," Carly said dryly. "Go ahead and take the bags upstairs, I'll help dad with the alarm." Carly could hear a siren in the distance. She walked into the house while Jack was attempting to get the alarm turned off by rattling off random code words. Sage smiled and waved at her dad as she ran up the stairs past him. Jack looked at Carly with pleading eyes. She obliged him by taking the phone from him. "This is Carly Snyder and the code word is Montana," she said all the while giving Jack a look that let him know that he was about to get an earful of a different kind.

Jack rolled his eyes and ran his fingers through his hair. The most obvious of choices had completely skipped his mind in his hurried attempt to try and come up with something. Like magic, the alarm ceased and beautiful silence echoed in his ears. He looked at his wife and gave her a loving smile as he wrapped his arms around her.

Carly looked directly at him with a raised eyebrow indicating that no amount of affection was going to get him off the hook. "Thank you," she said into the phone to the dispatcher.

"Unfortunately, the disarming took a little longer than normal and the computer system automatically sends out a signal to the police department. There should be an officer arriving at any moment," the dispatcher explained.

Sure enough the siren Carly heard earlier was growing louder and the lights were now visible as the car moved up the street toward the house. "OK, we'll explain it to the officer," she said. The dispatcher hung up and Carly looked at Jack. "One of your fellow officers is arriving at the house. _You_ can explain the situation," she said pulling herself out of his arms.

"You look great today," Jack said sweetly kissing her on the cheek before she could completely get away.

"Don't think you're going to get off that easy," she said to him, smiling in spite of herself. Carly headed to the kitchen to start fixing dinner. After a little bit of time, in which Jack explained the situation to the officer, he joined her. He came up behind her as she was closing the oven door. He placed his hands on her hips and pulled her back snug against him, while he leaned down and kissed her neck. Carly could feel her body responding immediately to his touch and she gave an involuntary sigh. "Are you trying to distract me?" she asked coyly.

"Is it working?" Jack asked her smiling and giving her a nip on the neck. Carly gave a little laugh and leaned back into him, remembering a time not that long ago when he'd asked her that very question. Jack slowly spun her around to face him. He put his hands on the counter on either side of her as she leaned back against it and looked up into his eyes. Those warm, deep brown eyes that saw right into the very center of her. "I'm sorry I didn't call this morning and let you know about the alarm system," he apologized. His eyes searching hers for forgiveness.

"You should be," she said.

A slow, seductive smile spread across his face taking her breath away. He brought a hand to her cheek and gently brushed it with the back of his hand. "I promise to make it up to you," he said softly. Carly's eyes closed at the touch. She took a deep breath to help herself resist his charms. She looked at him again.

"You can make it up to me by telling me the real reason you had this alarm installed," she said. "And none of this - _I did because of the baby _nonsense."

Aware now that his attempt to smooth things over was not going to work, Jack took a step back. Carefully wording his answer he said, "But the baby is one of the reasons I had it installed. I don't see how being safe is a bad thing?" he asked her back.

"Being safe isn't a bad thing. But why now? We've survived just fine without one up to this point. It would be one thing if we weren't together and you weren't living here. I could maybe understand it in that circumstance. But honestly Jack, I just don't get it? There's something aren't you telling me," she said pointedly.

"Why would you think I'm not telling you something?"

"Oh gee, I don't know. Perhaps the fact that you keep answering my question with another question," she leveled at him.

"What makes you think I'm doing that?" he asked.

She gasped and her mouth dropped open. "You just did it again!" she said hitting him on the arm. "I mean it Jack Snyder, you answer me right now. What aren't you telling me?" She folded her arms and glared at him.

"Look honey, I don't want to worry you about anything," he started gently. He realized that he needed to tell her something. He didn't want to lie to her, but he didn't want to make her panic either. "There's a case I'm working on…"

Carly cut him off. "Is it dangerous?"

"No. Carly, I don't want you worrying. It's not good for you or the baby. I didn't want to tell you because I was afraid of this reaction," he explained. "The alarm is for my peace of mind. When I'm at work, I sometimes get so involved in cases that I don't want to worry about neglecting you and the kids."

Carly thought about what he said. She knew that he did get engrossed in his case work. But something about this still felt off. "You've never let us down before G-Man. What makes you think this time would be different?"

"I'm not saying this time would be different. I just want to be cautious and do whatever I can to ensure your safety as well as the kids and this little one," he said softly as he placed his hand on her expanding stomach.

"We haven't had any problems with someone breaking into the house since…," she paused and took a breath. "Since that time Starziak did to get to Molly." Carly felt her body give an involuntary shudder at the thought of that night. That horrible night when her world came crashing down. The night Jack disappeared off the bridge. Jack saw the fear creep into her eyes, knowing what she was thinking. He pulled her to him and hugged her tightly. "This case isn't like that, is it?" Carly asked into his shoulder, hugging him back.

Jack sighed, kissing the side of her head. "No, sweetheart, it's nothing like that. Look, I don't want you worrying yourself. I'm fine. I'm not in any danger. Please don't read too much into it. I just want to look out for my family and know that you're safe when I'm not around. Can you understand that?" he asked, hoping that this would be enough for her.

Carly lifted her head and looked at him. "Yes, I can understand that." She gave him a tiny smile.

Jack brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes, letting his hand cup the back of her head. He smiled back at her and leaned down kissed her. Slowly at first, but soon their kiss became more passionate.

"Mom, can you help me with my project?" Sage called from upstairs.

Jack pulled away slowly letting his lips linger inches from hers. "We OK?" he asked, his voice low with passion.

"You mean are you forgiven?" Carly teased back. "I'm thinking that you may need to do some more begging for forgiveness… later tonight."

Jack flashed her a grin that made her knees weak. "I think I might enjoy that," he said leaning in to nuzzle her neck.

Carly laughed. "It's a punishment. You're not supposed to enjoy it," she said pulling back so she could look at him.

He let his gaze roam over her beautiful face, but he lingered on her mouth. Carly saw the desire burning in Jack's eyes and her lips parted in anticipation. Jack saw the invitation and a small smile teased the corner of his mouth and he leaned in once again to taste her.

"Mom are you coming?" Sage yelled again.

They both released simultaneous sighs of frustration followed by a laugh at the situation. "To be continued," Jack said with a smile and a quick kiss before heading upstairs to change.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

She grabbed her dinner from the microwave and her glass of water and sat down at the small table in the corner of the room. She'd set the table before hand, making sure to fold the napkin and place it just so. She had all the necessary silverware for each and every course, even though it wasn't necessary for her chicken dinner. It was the need to have the appearance of normalcy that drove her actions. She picked up the napkin, placing it in her lap. She picked up the knife and fork and began to cut the chicken into small bite size pieces. Once she had cut the entire piece up, she took a bite. Chicken Marsala normally was one of her favorites. This was a sad imitation of the real thing. She put down her fork and knife and swallowed the detestable mouthful. This is what she had been reduced to. Microwavable dinners in a tiny motel room, all alone. She pushed her plate away from her in disgust. This is what they'd done to her. Forced to move from place to place, never lingering for too long. Not able to live a life to which she had grown accustomed to. Though at one time, she'd been willing to leave that life behind. Leave it for a life that she had believed was hers for the taking. A life that turned out to be a lie. She clenched her fists tightly and closed her eyes. A familiar feeling of humiliation washed over her. One that was a twisted comfort to her and also helped to motivate her. It wasn't her fault she was forced to live this way. It wasn't her fault that she was forced to take drastic actions. They were the ones responsible. And because of that, she would make them pay. She took a deep breath and opened her eyes. A small smile curving her lips.

She'd seen _her_ today. She'd been close enough to talk to _her_, though she hadn't. She'd been worried that _she_ might have recognized her, but her disguise had worked. She was able to blend in and not be noticed. She hadn't been expecting to see _her_, even though she knew she was taking a chance being there. She had needed to test her disguise and had taken a bold step in going to Al's. Next time, she wouldn't need to panic. She mindlessly ran her fingers through her now short, blond hair. _She_ had been with _her_ daughter… their daughter. That thought made her stomach coil. _She'd_ been able to give him a child. Something she had failed to do. But it wasn't her fault - it was theirs. It was their deceit, their lies that had caused her to loose her child. Lies! That's all that woman knew. How was it that _she _had managed to stay in his life all this time? _She_ wasn't worthy of him - wasn't deserving of him. She'd thought for sure that _her_ lies would have driven him away for good, but he always came back to _her_. Always.

She stood up and walked over to the window of the motel room. She pulled back the corner of the curtain and peered out. The town hadn't changed much since she had last been here. Most everyone she had come to know and love still lived here. Though, they too had been tainted by what had happened. At one time, she'd had friends and family and had been happy. It hadn't lasted long though. _She'd_ returned and ruined everything. She'd tried to get rid of _her_ and keep _her_ whereabouts a secret, knowing everyone was better off without _her_. But despite all that, _she_ still had come back. She knew instantly that he was still in love with _her_. He never looked at her that way. Never with passion in his eyes. Sure he tried to stay away from her, to keep his distance. He'd made promises to her. But _she_ was always there, lurking in the shadows around every corner. Like a spider with her web. Even at their wedding _she_ had been there. Casting _her_ spell, trying to take him away. _She_ hadn't been entirely successful, but _she_ had been able to plant a seed of doubt. It was enough that things were never the same. She saw it there, in his eyes as he said his vows that day. Saw it every time he was near _her_. He couldn't take his eyes off _her_… watching _her_ every step, every move. His thoughts were consumed by _her_ - what _she_ was doing, who _she_ was with. Even when he was with her, when he said he loved her - _she_ was there. Always between them. Just under the surface. _In his blood_. He'd finally admitted it one day. That _she_ was a part of him. Something he could never let go of… didn't want to let go of. This is what _she'd_ done to him. Well no more. She would finally put a stop to it.

It was dark. The streetlights were on now and the twinkling lights of the houses in the distance blinked at her. Her house was out there, not too far away. Not close enough to be seen, but close enough that she could feel it calling to her. She needed to be patient. Soon enough she would be back inside. And this time, she wouldn't leave.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

The next morning, Parker and Sage were off at school as Carly finished getting ready for her doctor's appointment. Jack was going to head over from the station and meet her there. Carly was hoping to get there early in the hopes of convincing Dr. Schiller to let the sex of the baby slip during her check-up. Carly was bound and determined to end this game as soon as possible. It was driving her crazy.

She had just grabbed her coat and purse and was about to walk out the door when the phone rang. She contemplated leaving it for the machine to pick up, but decided to answer it in case it was Rosanna. They were supposed to have lunch later that afternoon. "Hello?" Carly answered.

"Yes, hello ma'am. My name is Pamela and I'm calling on behalf of Oakdale's Community Outreach program. We were wondering if you had any clothing or household items you would be willing to donate?"

"As a matter of fact I do have some things I could give you. Unfortunately, I'm on my way out at the moment. Would it be possible for you to call me back tomorrow to schedule something?" Carly asked.

"Sure, that's not a problem." Pamela said. "Thank you and have a nice day."

Carly hung up the phone. Grabbed her keys and headed for the door.

Jack was sitting in a chair waiting for Carly to arrive for her appointment. He was holding a magazine, but not really looking at it. Instead, he was thinking back to last night. Once Carly had finished helping Sage and after they'd had dinner, Jack had settled down with Carly on the sofa. They'd sat and talked while Jack rubbed her feet. His massage had started there but it eventually ended up with the two of them relaxed, in each other's arms with nothing but a blanket over them. Jack had very slowly removed each and every article of clothing Carly was wearing, kissing each newly exposed area as he did so. By the time he'd gotten down to the bare essentials, Carly literally ripped his shirt off him, or at least a part of it, in her frenzy to touch all of him. He smiled at the thought.

"What are you thinking about?" a sultry voice asked.

Jack looked up into a pair of gorgeous blue eyes. A hint of pink touched his cheeks and his smile deepened as he felt the heat spread through him as he looked at the face that constantly filled his thoughts. He stood up to kiss her cheek and whispered to her. "I was thinking about you… us… last night."

Carly smiled back. "You're early," she said as they sat back down.

"Yeah. I wanted to make sure I was here on time, so I called to double check when your appointment was. It was a good thing too. I had it down as 10:45 instead of 10:30," he replied.

"Yes, a very good thing," Carly said with just a hint of sarcasm. Jack didn't miss it.

"Why Mrs. Snyder, did you purposely tell me the wrong time?" he asked.

"Now why would I do that?" Carly asked innocently avoiding his gaze.

"Well, let's think about that, shall we. What reason could you possibly have for giving me the wrong time?" Carly sighed and bit the corner of her lower lip and feigned indifference to the line of questioning. She picked up a magazine and mindlessly started turning pages. "Could it be that you were planning on somehow unveiling the sex of the baby?" he asked leaning in to look directly in her eyes.

"Don't you try and interrogate me, G-Man," she said under her breath. "I've done nothing wrong. It was a simple mistake. I must have written it down incorrectly." She closed the magazine and put it back on the table.

"Uh-huh," Jack said unconvinced.

"Let's not forget last night, shall we. I wasn't the one begging for forgiveness for keeping something from the other," she reminded him.

"Believe me, I don't think I'll be forgetting last night anytime soon." His voice was low and husky as he leaned in closer so as not to be overheard. Now it was Carly's turn to blush. "Perhaps tonight the tables should be turned," he said suggestively as he let his eyes roam all over her. Carly felt heat spread through her down to her fingers and toes at his words. She opened her mouth to reply but was interrupted.

"Mrs. Snyder - Dr. Schiller can see you now," said the nurse.

Two heads quickly turned to acknowledge the nurse. Both looking as guilty as two kids caught talking in class. "Right on time," said Carly hurrying as best she could to get up out of the hot seat. Jack chuckled softly to himself as he helped her up. The nurse smiled at them and started walking back towards the exam room. Jack put his arm around Carly, but not before giving her a playful swat behind the nurse's back. Carly turned and raised her eyebrow at him. "Behave," she scolded him as they followed the nurse into the room.

_Meanwhile… _

She tested the doorknob. It was unlocked. She smiled at the carelessness. Could this be any easier? Perhaps waiting all this time to exact her revenge would be worth it after all. It appeared that they felt completely safe at home and didn't have any idea how close she was. For she knew that he would do anything to protect his family. Hadn't he done the same for her once upon a time. Back when he still felt responsible. Back before _she_ had completely turned him against her. She opened the door and looked around. Not too much had changed. Sure the furniture was different, but it was basically the same as when she had last been there. What she really noticed was the smell. It smelled like _her_. _Her_ perfume. It still lingered in the air. She felt a wave a anger wash over her. She stepped inside and shut the door. She knew _she_ wasn't home. She made sure before coming over. She looked at the desk by the front door. No longer did it house any of her things. She noticed the picture sitting on it and picked it up. There were five people in this photo. She recognized the eldest child as Parker, for she had known him from before. In fact, she had been here, in this very house, the night he was born. Another wave of anger struck her. She swallowed hard, pushing that memory aside and focused again on the picture. The youngest child, a girl, she was also aware of. Their daughter. Sage arrived after her last visit. She had arranged for Jack to once again loose a son. Hoping that he would feel the loss as deeply as she had felt it. She closed her eyes and pushed the memory of that away too. Once again she peered back at the picture. There was another child there, a boy. She didn't know this child. How he fit into this family she didn't know and that bothered her. Loose ends and questions was not something she tolerated. How had she not learned about this third child? Anger filled her once again. She squeezed the picture frame in frustration and cracked the glass and part of the frame. She swore under her breath. She'd allowed herself to loose control and that could end up costing her. She must be stronger than that. She must stay focused and calm in order to carry out her plan. What should she do with the picture? She couldn't take it. That might be too obvious. Might clue him in and she didn't want to do that… yet. She could put it in the drawer, in the hopes that once found one of the kids would be blamed. Or, she thought for a moment. She could leave it out in the open. Let it be discovered immediately. She knew how he would react. It was how it would affect _her_, that was intriguing. She decided to leave it out in plain sight.

She glanced around the room again before turning towards the stairs in search of her objective. It must be upstairs she thought to herself. She peered into the first room, not finding what she was after, and continued down the hall. The next room also was not what she was looking for. She smiled upon looking into the third room. This was what she had been searching for - the nursery.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

It was a little after noon when Carly was walking into the Lakeview to meet her sister for lunch. Rosanna had come back to town last fall for Jack and Carly's wedding and had been living here for the most part ever since. Things between Carly and her sister had never been easy throughout their entire relationship. There had been some beautiful moments and there had also been some real ugly ones. At the present time, things were good between them. Carly looked around the room and spotted Rosanna in a corner table. She had her hair pulled back loosely and was looking over the menu and didn't see Carly come in.

"Hey Rosebud," she called as she walked up to the table with a smile on her face.

Rosanna looked up and returned the smile. Hearing the nickname brought Rosanna a warm feeling. Living overseas the last year had left her lonely for family and only intensified her longing for one of her own. As much as she and her sister sometimes hurt each other, she really needed Carly in her life. Coming back for the wedding cemented that in her mind. She had returned to Germany after the wedding and made plans to work from home for the most part within a year's time. She'd just returned to Oakdale to look for a place of her own. She stood up and gave Carly a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"How are you feeling? You look fantastic. Pregnancy has always agreed with you Carly," Rosanna stated as they both sat down.

At the words, Carly felt a pang of guilt. She knew it wasn't her fault, but the fact that Rosanna was not able to have children of her own brought those feelings to the surface. "Thank you," she said, smiling almost apologetically.

"Oh Carly, please," said Rosanna exasperatedly. "Don't even start that, alright. I'm fine… really. I'm absolutely overjoyed that you and Jack are having another child. Just think, I'll have a brand new niece or nephew to spoil. By the way, do you know what you're having?" she asked.

Jack had returned to work after Carly's doctor appointment to a stack of paperwork he was not looking forward to. He hated that aspect of the job, but it needed to be done. He began pouring over the details of a burglary case when officer Hopkins came up to his desk.

"You had an urgent message while you were out this morning, Detective Snyder," he said handing him the message. It was from Jack's contact at the FBI. "He said he also left a message on your line here at the station," Hopkins informed him.

A feeling of dread started forming in the pit of Jack's stomach as he stared at the note, half listening to what was being said. A million and one scenarios ran through his head. Each one growing worse with each passing second.

"Detective? You OK?" Hopkins asked.

"Huh? What… oh, yeah. I'm fine. Just thinking. Thanks for bringing this to me immediately. I'll give him a call right now," Jack said dismissively.

"So, Jack wants to be surprised," Rosanna stated thoughtfully.

"Yes, and it's driving me crazy. I even attempted to get the doctor to reveal the sex this morning at my appointment, but he showed up early and thwarted me once again," Carly complained before taking a taste of her soup. It was a creamy vegetable soup that tasted wonderfully to her. She was past the morning sickness at this point in her pregnancy, but food still had a funny way of causing issues. Most things she normally loved to eat when not pregnant, no longer held any desire for her. Soup, however, was something she still loved and was pleased with this one as it hit the spot.

Rosanna went on talking. "I bumped in to Craig today," she said as casually as she could muster keeping her eyes focused on her food in front of her. Carly set down her spoon and looked at her sister.

"I hope you told him to take a hike," she said not hiding the disgust in her voice. Carly had not given Craig a moments thought since before her wedding to Jack. He had caused her nothing but problems pretty much from the moment she met him. She was very sorry it took her so long to push him out of her life. Hearing about him trying to worm his way into Rosanna's life again gave Carly a headache. "You remember what I told you about what he did with Parker's money and my company, don't you?" Carly questioned. Rosanna was a smart woman… in business. Carly worried that her desire to have a husband and possibly a family might override her normally intuitive sister.

"Yes, I remember," said Rosanna sighing. "I'm not going into business with him. He just asked me how I was doing and…" she trailed off, not knowing if she wanted to get into this any further than she already had.

"And… what?" Carly asked.

"He asked me if I would be willing to have dinner with him one night."

Carly looked at Rosanna like she'd lost her mind. "You're not actually considering that are you?" She looked at her and saw a hint of color touch on Rosanna's cheeks. "Oh Rosanna, please tell me you didn't say yes to that," Carly pleaded.

"I didn't say yes."

"Oh thank god!" Carly exclaimed cutting Rosanna off.

"But I didn't' say no either. I told him I'd think about it," Rosanna explained.

"Hey Daryl, thanks for getting back to me so quickly. What did you find out?" Jack asked anxiously. He'd been dreading this call. Fearing the worst.

"Well, it turns out that the person who purchased the rattle was a woman." Jack held his breath as Daryl continued. "Her name is Jillian Sudey and it looks like she paid cash, so there's no way to trace the payment information." The name was not familiar to him. He supposed that it could be a woman that Carly knew, but Jack's gut reaction told him that this was Julia. He waited patiently while Daryl finished. "Apparently there is a store camera which they are going to send to us here at the agency. However, the store manager did mention she was a blond," Darryl offered in the hopes that it might help. Jack had been awfully quiet and Daryl knew that wasn't a good sign.

"Yes, cause we know that it's not easy to change ones hair color," Jack bit out sarcastically. Jack heard Daryl suck in a breath to respond, but he cut him off. "How soon until you get that tape?"

"They told me they'd overnight it to me, so I should hopefully have by tomorrow afternoon," he said keeping his response to Jack's former comment to himself.

"How quickly could I have a copy of it in my hands," Jack asked.

"We could certainly make you a copy immediately and have it sent over," Daryl said trying to reassure his friend. "But Jack, you don't even know if this woman is your ex-wife. Are you sure you don't want to just wait and let my guys take a look and see what we can find out?"

"No! My instincts are telling me this is Julia. I know it is," Jack replied. His mind went on autopilot and he started thinking out loud. "You said the woman in the video is a blond. The reports of her sightings along the border still had her described as a brunette. That means she must have changed her appearance fairly recently. See if you can't locate a hotel or something with a guest by the name of Jillian Sudey and make sure to fax over a picture of Julia's picture and a snapshot of this Jillian once you get the tape. Perhaps someone remembers seeing her."

Normally Daryl would take offense to someone telling him how to do his job, but under these circumstances Daryl understood. Jack was reacting out of fear for his family and didn't mean anything by it. His ex-wife was a lunatic and the sooner she was found the better.

She was sitting in the rocking chair lost in thought. She was remembering a time, very long ago, when she had sat in this very house preparing for her child. She'd picked out the bedding and the paint color and was excited about getting started on decorating for their child. She remembered that feeling of joy and anticipation. But there was more. There was always a hint of doubt. Not on her part certainly, but on his. He hadn't wanted to have children right away… had wanted to wait. But waiting would have been a bad thing. Too many things could have happened, so she made the choice to do what needed to be done and she had done away with her birth control. She knew once she was pregnant everything would be alright. It would be exactly what they needed. But it wasn't alright. He hadn't reacted the way she had expected him to. Again, doubt clouded what should have been one of the happiest moments of their lives. She figured he'd just been in shock and that he would eventually come to be just as happy and excited about their family as she was. However, that didn't quite happen. Jack found out about the picture of her and Winston Lowe. She'd given him reasons for not telling him about it, for keeping quiet. Sure he was angry and hurt, but she convinced him that she'd done it out of fear. He said he forgave her and tried to understand, but things were never the same after that. That was when he started to change. When he started becoming distant. Everything was forced and phony and sickeningly polite. He started working more. Going to the station at all hours of the night. Then came that night. That fateful night when she had felt the baby move for the first time. She'd been so excited that rushed over to share it with him only to discover him with _her_. Touching _her_, holding _her_. She clenched the arms of the rocking chair. Anger seethed through her. She must maintain control if she was to be successful. She closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths to try and calm herself down. She could still see him with his arms around _her_, as if it had just happened yesterday. Focus! She mustn't let her emotions get the best of her… not yet. There'd be time for that later. She opened her eyes and stood up looking around the room at the items scattered about in the room. It was upon the bookcase that she found it. The delicately engraved silver rattle. She walked over to it and picked it up. She turned it over in her hand looking at it again. She remembered seeing it for the first time in the shop. She'd known immediately that this was the exact thing she'd been looking for. She hadn't really thought everything through until that moment when she picked up the rattle. At that moment, everything became clear. She ran a finger over the cold, smooth surface tracing the etched design. She sighed contentedly as she reached into her coat pockets and pulled out a pair of gloves and a tiny vial of liquid - a smile on her face.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

Carly sighed and pondered her next words carefully. If Rosanna was seriously considering getting involved in any way with Craig again, she had to put a stop to it. Not because she cared whom Craig was seeing, but because she cared about Rosanna. Craig was the last thing she needed at this point in her life. How Carly put that into words would greatly affect the outcome. She looked at Rosanna who was keeping her head down and trying desperately not to look directly at her. Carly smiled, "Rosanna… you're a smart woman and you can certainly see who you want to." Rosanna made to respond, but Carly quickly continued before she had a chance. "Or have dinner with whomever you choose," she finished. Rosanna smiled.

"Thank you Carly," she said sincerely.

"You're welcome," Carly smiled back biting her tongue to refrain from saying the one-hundred and one other things she really wanted to say about this whole bad idea. She turned her attention back to her soup and took another bite. "So… do you think you'll talk to him today?" she asked trying to sound as casual as possible.

Rosanna laughed. "Very subtle. No, I'm not going to make a point of calling him. If I run into him by chance, then I'll let him know. I doubt he'd let the encounter go without asking me again anyway," she added.

"No, I'm sure he wouldn't," Carly said giving Rosanna a look.

The waiter came up at that moment and refilled their water glasses and checked to see if they needed anything and left a dessert menu. The momentary distraction allowed a third party to appear at the table unseen. As the waiter walked away, his appearance was revealed.

"Luck must be on my side today. For what other reason could there be for me to happen upon the two most beautiful sisters in all of Oakdale?" Craig gushed. "And an empty chair to boot," he smiled, sitting down without an invitation.

Carly glared at him. Ignoring his rudeness, she turned to Rosanna. "I'll be right back," she said excusing herself from the table.

Rosanna smiled apologetically up at her and watched her leave before acknowledging Craig. Once Carly was out of earshot, Rosanna let him have it. "How dare you just barge in and sit down without having the decency of being invited," she began but Craig cut her off.

"Oh relax Rosanna. Carly doesn't mind. Sure she puts on a good show, but that's all it is… a show. Deep down she gets a kick out of it," Craig reasoned.

"Sometimes you are really clueless. Carly isn't acting Craig. You know she's never forgiven you for what you did to Parker. Not to mention her company."

"It's been almost a year since the whole trust-fund thing came out. You'd think she'd be over that by now. What does a guy have to do?" he asked perplexed.

"Drop dead," Carly said behind him.

"You don't really mean that, Carly," Craig said turning around to face her.

Carly ignored him and turned to Rosanna. "We should get going if we're going to do some shopping. The kids will be getting home soon, as will Jack."

"Alright. Why don't you go get the car and I'll take care of the bill. I'll meet you outside," Rosanna said smiling.

Carly grabbed her coat and purse and headed to the lobby. "Good to see you Carly," Craig said attempting to kiss her cheek goodbye. Carly swerved out of arms reach and walked straight past him. Craig looked dumbfounded. Rosanna shook her head while retrieving her credit card from her wallet. The waiter came up at that time and went to take care of the bill.

"So. About that question I asked you," Craig began.

"Why is it that you never learn?" Rosanna asked more to herself than to Craig. "You constantly think you can just do and say whatever you want and that people will eventually forgive or forget what you've done."

"I know that I've done a lot of questionable things. But I've always cared for you Rosanna. That's never changed," he said attempting to smooth things over. He gave her a look that she knew all too well. She sighed. "Oh alright Craig. I'll have dinner with you… just dinner," she said letting him know not to get any ideas.

"Great! I'll pick you up tonight at 7:00 o'clock," he said smiling.

"No, not tonight. I'm going shopping with Carly and I don't know when we'll be done. Why don't we plan on dinner tomorrow," she suggested.

"Sounds wonderful," Craig replied smugly.

_Meanwhile in Milltown…_

She finished applying the clear liquid to the rattle making sure to wipe all her fingerprints from it in the process. She didn't want to make it too easy for him. She placed it gently back on the bookcase and removed her gloves. She glanced around the room once more when she heard a sound downstairs. She froze, listening very intently. She heard a couple of voices but couldn't decipher who they belonged to. She walked carefully to the door and listened again. Female, but too young for either of them to be _her_. She waited to see what she should do. The voices were staying downstairs in the living room, which caused a problem since that was her way out. She looked around the room. The window was an option, but not one she wanted to try unless she had no alternative. It was a straight drop down, with nothing to break her fall. She thought for a moment. She could make her way to one of the other bedrooms and climb out that way, but she didn't know if she wanted to risk that and draw attention to herself by stepping on a creaky floorboard or by some other means. It was at that moment when she heard the voices talk about getting something to eat and she heard them trail off as they headed into the kitchen. She jumped at the opening and hurried out of the room and down the stairs, stopping right before the landing to check to see if it was clear. She peered around the landing and saw that the voices were still in the kitchen. She made her way to the door. She opened it quickly and quietly and was about to shut it when an alarm went off. She jumped back and immediately ran down the walk and the driveway towards the trees to hide, leaving the door open.

From her vantage point she could see into the house. The two girls were panicking at the alarm. They both ran out of the house to the one next door and knock frantically until it opened. An older lady stepped aside to let them in. Off in the distance she could hear the sirens and knew he'd be coming. She clenched her fists and swore under her breath. She had been careless today. She knew she should run now. Get back to the motel, but the thrill of seeing him again kept her feet firmly planted behind the trees. She waited and sure enough the sirens arrived in the form of two cars. One, a clearly marked police cruiser. The other… his. She watched and waited with baited breath for him to step out of the car. His door opened and he got out with his gun drawn. She reveled at the sight of him. Tall and as handsome as ever. It took all her willpower not to make her way towards him. She watched his every moved, mesmerized. He gave orders to the other officers and made his way to the neighbors door. Before he had a chance to knock, the door opened and his daughter ran towards him. He held his gun away from her and hugged her tightly leaning down to make sure she was alright. She had expected no less from him. She knew he'd be a wonderful father. She continued to watch the scene unfold as another car pulled up to the house. She looked over and she saw _her_ step out and rush to him and the girl. Her face contorted with rage. Jealousy spread through her as she watched the scene unfold. He hurried over to _her_, giving _her_ a hug and kiss. Another woman walked over to join them. He acknowledged her and made his way over to the officers inside his own home as they conducted their futile search. He disappeared from view. She swallowed hard. Seeing them together had left a bad taste in her mouth. She turned and made her way through the trees. Back to the motel room. Back to wait…


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen

Jack finished going through the entire house room by room for the third time. Nothing. Nothing out of place. Nothing missing. Absolutely nothing. He walked back into the living room from the kitchen. The other officers were standing near the open front door going over their checklist. Jack stopped, with his hands on his hips and looked around the room once more, desperate to find something. He ran a hand through his hair in frustration, when he finally spotted it. The family portrait on the desk. It was upright like it normally was, but the frame and the glass were clearly broken. He walked over to it and picked it up. One of the officers noticed.

"Did you find something Detective?"

Jack didn't respond. He stood staring at the portrait but not really seeing it. His mind was racing. She'd been here… in the house. He felt nauseous. He subconsciously covered his mouth as he felt the panic rising. His hand traveled down to rub his throat as if trying to dislodge some invisible object.

"Detective?"

Jack turned around and looked at the source of the sound invading his thoughts. He looked at the other officer as the awareness of the other people in the room with him came flooding back. He mentally shook himself and gathered his thoughts.

"Detective, did you find something?" Officer Fitzgerald asked Jack again.

"Yes, the picture," Jack said handing the photo over to him.

Fitzgerald looked at the photo and back at Jack with a confused expression. Clearly he wasn't convinced that this was evidence of anything other than an accident. He returned the photo to Jack. "It's broken," he stated the obvious.

"Exactly," said Jack giving a sigh of frustration. "If this photo had been broken accidentally, it would still be lying flat where it fell or flat on the desk waiting to have the photo removed. But it wasn't. It was in the displayed position. Don't you think that's odd?" Jack asked him.

"Well, not really. What if one of your kids knocked it over and put it upright to try and hide that it was broken?" he replied.

Of course that was a possibility. Perhaps Sage or her friend knocked it over by accident. Since this was the frame JJ had made for them, Sage might have tried to cover it up. Wanting to make sure he ruled out all possibilities, Jack decided to find out for sure. He walked out the front door to where Carly, Rosanna, Sage and her friend were all waiting.

"Is everything alright?" Carly asked anxiously.

Jack heard the worry in her voice and immediately thought of the baby. "Everything is fine. There isn't anyone in the house and nothing appears to be missing. The only thing out of the ordinary, was our family picture on the desk. The frame and glass are broken. Sage, do you know how that might have happened?"

"No."

"Did you notice it was broken when you came home?" he asked.

"No, but I wasn't looking at it. I didn't see it on the floor or anything," she said.

"I'm sure it was an accident," Rosanna offered.

Of course Jack had already considered that. But if Sage or Jenny had knocked it over, it would have still be lying where it fell. Not put back exactly where it had been sitting. "Yeah… I'm sure you're right," Jack said keeping the skepticism out of his voice. But Carly wasn't fooled.

"Sage, why don't you and Jenny go back into Mrs. Connor's house while your dad finishes up. It's chilly outside and you girls don't have a coat," Carly said smiling. "Rosanna, could you please let her know that the police will be done in a moment and then we'll be out of her hair." Rosanna knew all too well that Carly was wanting to speak with Jack alone.

"Sure. Not a problem. Alright ladies, let's hurry inside. It's cold out here."

Carly watched them head back into the neighbor's house. She turned back to Jack. "So… are you going to tell me what you're really thinking about all of this?"

"I don't know what you're talking about Carly," he said looking at her.

"Jack," she began. "I know you. I can tell when you're worried about something. And right now, you're worried. So why don't you just go ahead and tell me," she said placing a hand on his shoulder. "You know I won't stop bugging you until you tell me anyway. You might as well get it over with," she smiled in the hopes of bringing a little levity to the situation.

Jack reached up to stroke the side of her face as he looked into her eyes. She was so strong. He loved her tenacity as much as it sometimes drove him crazy. But as strong as she was, at this moment she was vulnerable. And he would do anything he had to, to protect her and the baby.

"I will tell you… just not right now." Carly had a response all ready for him, but Jack continued, cutting her off. "Tonight after the kids are in bed, we'll talk," he said leaning down to kiss her cheek. He lingered there for a moment, his eyes closed. Allowing himself to take in her scent. It was an intoxicating mix of her perfume, her shampoo and the cool night air. He brushed his lips against her cheek once more and pulled back to look her in the eye. She looked intently at him as if attempting to read his mind. He knew she hated waiting. She had no patience. He gave a little chuckle. "Later… I promise," he said flashing her a grin that made her heart skip a beat.

Jack and the other officers finished up while Carly headed over to Mrs. Connor's to thank her for keeping an eye on the girls until they got home. Sage's friend Jenny needed to head home and Rosanna offered to take her home.

"That would be wonderful," Carly said. "I'm a little tired after being out all day and then all this excitement here at home."

"You should go inside, put your feet up and let Jack take care of dinner," Rosanna suggested.

"I think you might be on to something," Carly gave her a tired smile.

"I can help dad with dinner," Sage offered.

"That is very sweet of you. I'm sure your dad will take you up on that offer. Why don't you help Jenny get her things together and walk her out to Aunt Rosanna's car."

Sage headed off with her friend and Carly rubbed her back and stretched. "Carly, go inside and sit down," Rosanna urged.

"I will in a minute. I need to get my purse and bags out of the car," she said.

"I'll do that. You go inside. Now!" Rosanna added when Carly had stayed put.

"Oh alright. Don't be so bossy. You know I hate it when people tell me what to do," Carly said frowning.

"Yes, I know full well how stubborn you can be. But I love you anyway," Rosanna said smiling.

Carly headed into the house while Rosanna retrieved her things from the car. Jack had walked the other officers to their car and was making his way back inside when he stopped to help Rosanna.

"Hey Rosanna, do you happen to know someone by the name of Jillian Sudey?" he asked her. "It seems Carly received a baby gift from her and I didn't recognize the name."

"Doesn't sound familiar. Perhaps she's someone in the fashion business that Carly knew from before," Rosanna offered. "Didn't Carly tell you who she is?"

"Well the odd thing is that the package didn't have the sender's information, but I was able to trace it back to this Jillian. I haven't had a chance to ask Carly about it. I just thought perhaps you might know."

"Maybe ask her about it tomorrow. Carly's feeling pretty tired, which is why I sent her inside to sit down while I grabbed her things. And I told her that you could fix dinner tonight while she rested…" Rosanna said, looking at him pointedly.

"Is she alright? Is the baby ok?" Jack asked concerned.

"She's fine. Just very pregnant," Rosanna laughed. At that moment, Sage and her friend Jenny came down the walk.

"Mom called and let Jenny's mother know that you were going to drop her off," Sage said to her aunt.

"Excellent! Alright Jenny, shall we get going?" Rosanna asked while handing the things she was carrying to Jack. "I'll see you two soon and tell Carly I'll call her tomorrow," she said giving Sage a hug and kiss.

"Thanks for everything Rosanna," Jack said smiling as he watched her get in the car and drive off.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen

Jack walked into the house with Sage carrying the results of the shopping excursion to find Carly curled up on the sofa with her eyes closed. She didn't stir at all as Jack asked Sage to take the things up to the baby's room. He walked over to Carly and sat down next to her. He just sat there for a moment looking at her sleeping face. A million emotions ran through him. For all the craziness that they'd gone through, they'd finally made it to that point of forever. Jack felt it. Knew that this time it was forever. Not a hint of doubt anywhere. Now the threat of Julia loomed. The fear of anything happening to Carly rocked him to the core. He gently reached out and rubbed her arm. Needing to touch her. To reassure a part of himself that she was here, with him and she was alright. A small smile curved her lips, but she didn't stir. He reached over and grabbed the throw tossed over the back of the sofa and laid it over her. He brushed her hair off her cheek and continued to gaze at her. Right now, in this moment, everything was perfect. And yet… danger loomed closer than ever before.

Upstairs in the nursery, Sage had decided to help her mom out by putting the new clothes and other baby items away. She hung the clothes in the closet neatly with a smile on her face. She couldn't wait to be a big sister, but that wasn't what the smile was for. She was thinking about her parents, that they'd finally found their way back to each other. It was what she'd always wanted - them all together as a family. The way it was always intended to be. She pulled out the soft plush stuffed bear and decided to put it on the bookcase. She walked over and put it down and glanced at the silver rattle that was on the shelf next to it. She picked it up and looked at it again. It was so delicate and beautiful, she'd never seen anything quite like it. She traced the etched design with her finger and gently shook it to hear the tiny tinkling sounds it made. She was absolutely certain the baby would like it.

Jack decided that since it was up to him to make dinner, he ordered take out from Al's and phoned Parker to pick it up on his way home. He order a couple of burgers for the kids and club sandwiches for Carly and himself. He went up and showered and changed his clothes just in time for Parker to arrive with the food.

Carly woke up as the smell of food stirred her from her nap. "Something smells good," she said stretching on the sofa.

"Hey beautiful. Dinner is ready. Did you want to eat on the sofa and I'll bring you a plate?" Jack asked taking the boxes out of the bag. "Parker, can you tell your sister it's time for dinner?"

"No, I'm fine. I'll eat dinner with you guys. I feel rested now," Carly smiled. "Thanks for letting me nap. I guess I needed that."

"Hey squirt… dinnertime!" Parker yelled up the stairs.

"Thanks. I could have done that," Jack replied sarcastically to Parker.

"What's for dinner?" Sage asked coming down the stairs. "I thought I was going to help dad make it," she said sounding a bit disappointed.

"Well, I decided to go the quick and easy route and went with take-out instead. Maybe next time, sweetie. How does a burger and fries sound?" Jack asked.

"Sounds great!" she said as she grabbed her food and sat down between her parents to eat.

After dinner Sage and Parker went upstairs to work on homework while Jack picked up. Carly snuggled up on the sofa again with the blanket. It was early spring, so the nights were still cool. Carly waited patiently until Jack was finished before deciding to ask him about the events earlier. He walked out of the kitchen and sat down next to her and pulled her against his chest. He slipped his hands underneath the blanket and wrapped his arms around her waist, above the baby bump.

"Have I told you today that I love you?" he asked. His voice was soft against her ear.

"Yes, you have… but I never get tired of hearing you say it," she said leaning her head back on his shoulder.

He kissed her forehead and whispered, "I love you."

Carly turned her head a bit further so she could kiss his neck. It was warm and she could still smell the soap from his shower mixed with aftershave. It played havoc on her mind. She forgot all about the questions she wanted to ask.

Jack smiled at the sensations her kisses were giving him. He leaned back so he could look at her. "How about I head upstairs and run you a bath?" There a glint in his eye when he said it.

"Are you going to offer to wash my back too?" Carly smiled seductively knowing where that might lead them.

"If you'd like me to," he said huskily. "I was actually thinking about joining you…"

Carly had a moment of surprise. But her mouth curved into a brilliant smile. "Yes, please," she said shaking her head.

Jack laughed and gave her a quick kiss before helping her up off the sofa. "I'll lock up down here and I'll meet you upstairs," he said.

Carly went up while Jack turned off the lights, locked the door and set the alarm. He gazed out the window by the door for a moment, deep in thought. Wondering just how close the danger on the other side of the door was.

Carly was in their bedroom getting undressed when she heard knock at the door, followed by a weak "Mom…" Carly grabbed her robe and wrapped it around herself and opened the door. Sage stood in the hallway holding her stomach.

"Honey… are you ok?" Carly asked.

"I have a really bad stomach ache," Sage said practically in tears. "It doesn't feel like I have to throw-up, but I want to if it'll make me feel better."

"Come in here and sit down with me," Carly said helping her to the bed. Sage groaned as another wave a pain came over her. Carly felt her forehead - it was slightly damp with perspiration, but she didn't feel feverish.

Jack walked into the room to find a very different scene than the one he envisioned in his mind. "Baby, are you alright?" he asked getting a look at Sage's face. She was clearly not feeling well. She was hunched over and her skin looked ashen.

"Dad…" Sage moaned closing her eyes, but reaching out to him.

"Something is really wrong," Carly said worried. "Sage can barely talk through these stomach pains. That's not normal," she added.

"Do you think it was something she ate - food poisoning perhaps?" Jack asked coming to sit down next to Sage. She turned toward him, resting her head on his chest. He hugged her close and rubbed her back.

"I suppose it could be. Let me go check with Parker and see how he's feeling," Carly said as she got up and left the room.

Jack continued to rub Sage's back, while he rocked her gently. He kissed the top of her head wishing he could take the pain away. Sage cried out as she felt her stomach twist and turn again. Tears falling in earnest, she looked at her dad. Pleading with her eyes that he make it stop. Carly returned to the room.

"Parker says he feels fine and he said his burger was completely cooked... no pink."

"Well, that doesn't mean her burger was cooked thoroughly," Jack reasoned. "I think we should take her in." Sage nodded her head in response. She wanted to do whatever necessary to make this pain go away.

"Ok. Let me get dressed and then we'll go," said Carly heading to the bathroom.

"We'll meet you in the car," Jack said as he picked Sage up and carried her downstairs.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen

Jack, Carly and Sage arrived at the hospital. Sage was in bad shape. She was rolling in and out of consciousness. Jack carried her in to the emergency room. Dr. Chris Hughes happened to be on call that evening.

"Jack… Carly - what happened to Sage?" Chris asked ushering Jack into the closest room.

"We're not too sure. She was fine up until a little while ago and then she started complaining about her stomach hurting. The pain got worse and worse on the way here… and then her eyes started rolling back in her head. Oh my god, please help her," Carly cried as Jack laid her limp body down on the table.

Jack got out of Chris' way and made his way to Carly to try and comfort her. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and kept whispering "She's going to be ok… she's going to be ok," over and over again. Though whether it was for her benefit or his, he wasn't sure.

Chris and the two attending nurses ran a number of tests and immediately started an I.V. Chris came over to speak with Jack and Carly. "What did she have to eat today? Is she allergic to anything?"

Carly gave him a list of the foods she knew about and let him know that Sage did not have any food allergies. "Do you think it's food poisoning?"

"I'm more inclined to think it might be E-Coli. But it could be something entirely different. We're going to run a series of tests now and draw some blood. However, I'm concerned with her vitals. We need to get her stable first. If you two could please wait right outside, I'll bring you back in when we're done."

Carly didn't want to leave her daughter, but she also didn't want to be in the way either. Jack squeezed her shoulder as she nodded. Carly leaned down and smoothed Sage's hair back and whispered, "We love you honey. We'll be right outside." She kissed her cheek as the tears fell on her own. Jack leaned down and kissed Sage and put his hand on Carly's back. They left the room in silence, but not before giving their daughter another look back.

Jack helped Carly over to the chairs in the waiting room and sat down next to her. Carly sat down and put her head in her hands and cried. Jack rubbed her back and held her, trying his best to comfort her. "She's strong Carly. She's going to be ok. We got her here quickly."

"It all happened so fast, though. She was fine at dinner. I just don't understand…" she finished quietly.

"Chris will find out what's going on and she'll be good as new in no time. You'll see. But you need to stay calm. I know you're worried, but you have another little one you need to think about too," he said.

"I know, I know. I can't help it, Jack. What if…" she trailed off not wanting to voice her thoughts aloud. Her breathing increased as she began to feel the panic rising.

Jack noticed it too. "Carly, you need to stay calm. Panicking will not help Sage. Look at me! Look in my eyes… it's going to be ok."

She smiled back at him through her tears. "You always know how to make me feel better," she said reaching out to touch his cheek. "I believe you. I'm sorry I lost it. I'm just so scared. I don't know what I'd do if anything ever happened to her."

"I know, I know," he sighed heavily. He kissed the top of her head as they waited.

After what seemed like days, though was only about an hour, Jack and Carly were allowed back in to see Sage. Her coloring was back to normal and she looked peaceful as she slept in the bed. Carly walked over quietly and pulled up a chair to sit down at her bedside. Jack spoke with Chris.

"So, do you know what it was?" he asked.

"Not exactly. Although we do know that it's not E-Coli or any other food-born virus. I've sent her blood work to the toxicology lab to see if there's anything that shows up. I put a rush on it, so I should have the results sometime tomorrow. Obviously, we want to keep her here overnight so we can monitor her. But we were able to get her vitals where they need to be and it looks like she'll be fine. We're going to move her out of the ER and up to her own room for the night."

"I'd like to stay here too," Carly said turning her attention away from Sage to look at Jack and Dr. Hughes. "Carly, you need to get your rest. Let me take you home and I'll stay here with her," Jack offered.

Carly looked at him. "Do you really think I'll get any sleep at home while she's still here in the hospital? Trust me, I'll get more sleep here than I would at home." She turned her attention back to Sage.

"Fine, then we'll both stay. I'll call Parker and let him know what's going on," Jack said.

He turned back to Chris. "Thank you Chris," he said shaking his hand and heading out to make his phone call.

"Yes, thank you so much Chris… for everything." Carly said, smiling in gratitude.

After moving Sage into a different room, Carly sat next to her and watched her daughter sleep. She held one of her hands to let her know that she was there with her. She glanced down at the smaller hand and smiled as she looked at the nail polish and remembered how excited Sage had been when telling her about it. She turned it over and was rubbing the palm when she noticed something odd. Her fingertips and parts of the palm were red. It looked like a rash of some sort. She stood up and reached over to look at her other hand and noticed the same red marks. Jack came back in the room and noticed Carly looking inquisitively at Sage's hands.

"What's the matter?"

"I noticed some red marks when I was holding her hand and I wanted to see if the other one had it too. It does. Look for yourself."

"I wonder what caused that?" Jack asked deep in thought. "The pattern of the rash looks like she was holding something that didn't agree with her. Is perhaps something at home or school that she could have come in contact with?"

"She did have a science project she was working on, but she wasn't working with anything unusual. Nothing she hasn't used before," Carly said trying to come up with another explanation for the marks.

At that moment, one of the nurses came in to check the monitors and her chart. Carly asked her about the rash and the nurse went to get Dr. Hughes. He returned a short while later and examined her hands.

"I didn't notice this before, but it could be related. I can order a skin graph to see if we can come up with anything."

"I can also inquire at her school to see if they're using any unusual chemicals in their science classes," Jack offered.

"Sounds good. Everything still looks good," he said going over her vitals again. We gave her something to let her sleep through the night. She should be fine and ready to go home in the morning. You guys can go ahead and get some rest. I'll have the nurse bring in some extra blankets for both of you."

"Thanks again Chris," Jack said smiling. Dr. Hughes left the room and Jack pulled up a chair and sat down on the other side of Sage. He looked across their daughter at Carly and reached for her hand. He gave her a tired smile and mouthed "I love you" to her.

Carly smiled back at him. "I love you too. You were right… everything's going to be ok." She squeezed his hand. "Thanks."

"For what?"

"For keeping me from going crazy with worry. You always know how to calm me down, G-man."

Jack shook his head and gave a little laugh. "We've had lots of practice over the years," he said.

"Too much practice, if you ask me. Do you think we'll ever live just normal, boring lives?"

"Who wants normal - where's the fun in that? Besides, life with you Carly could never be boring," he said flashing her a smile that made her heart weak.

"Good answer." She looked at Sage and then back at Jack. "It's strange to think I was worried about our lives becoming too mundane. Whatever was I thinking?" she said shaking her head in disbelief. "At least it looks like the worst is over."

At her words a prickling sensation crept into the back of Jack's mind. He wasn't so sure about that.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen

The next morning Carly was waiting outside Sage's hospital room while Dr. Hughes examined her again. She'd woken up that morning feeling beat-up physically, but she was in high spirits. She didn't have a big appetite, but was able to sip some juice and eat a little bit of yogurt. Despite the uncomfortable night's sleep, Carly and Jack were in good spirits too. Jack walked up to Carly and handed her some hot tea and a blueberry muffin.

"Mmmmm, that smells wonderful. Thank you!" she said taking a sip of the tea.

"I want a bite of that muffin," Jack said taking a sip of his coffee.

"Who says I'm going to share? I'm eating for two, you know," she said giving him a wicked smile as she pulled the muffin out of the bag.

"But you love me," Jack reasoned giving her a smile of his own.

"Yes I do," she said holding the muffin up to him so he could take a bite. He smiled as she brushed a crumb from his chin.

"Are they almost done in there?" he asked turning his attention back to Sage.

"I hope so. It's taking a little longer than I expected. I hope there's nothing else wrong." Carly took a bite of the muffin and looked at the hospital room door with concern on her face.

Jack put his arm around her. "Sage is fine," he reassured her.

Dr. Hughes walked out of the room and came over to Jack and Carly. "Everything looks good. She's a little sore because of all the cramping, but it doesn't look like she'll suffer any side effects. I'm still waiting from to hear from the toxicology lab. They called a little bit ago and said they needed to run some further tests. Did you get a chance to talk to her school?"

"Yeah, I called them this morning and they said that her class hadn't been using any chemicals at all," Jack told him.

"Well, I should hopefully have the results by this afternoon. I'll give you a call and let you know whether or not we need to take any further steps. I'll go and sign her release papers while you guys help her get ready to go. The nurse will give you some papers with diet instructions for the next couple of days and any signs of relapse you need to look for," he said giving them a smile of reassurance.

"Thank you so much for everything," Jack said. He and Carly headed into Sage's room and gave her the good news.

"I can't wait to get home to my own room," she said excitedly.

"Now, you'll need to take it easy the next couple of days. We'll keep you home from school until we know for sure everything's fine," Carly told her.

"Go ahead and get dressed. Your mom and I'll wait out here for you," Jack said handing her shirt and pants from the night before.

A short while later - Jack, Carly and Sage walked into the house. They helped Sage get settled upstairs. She fell asleep quickly as her body was still trying to recover from the affects of last night. They shut her door gently as they left her room. Jack then turned to Carly. "Now it's your turn," he said steering her into their room.

"My turn for what?" she asked confused.

"Your turn to get tucked into bed. I want you resting today along with Sage."

"Honey, I'm fine. You don't need to worry about me," she smiled.

"Of course I do. That's my job," he said sweetly to her. "Will you do this for me… please?"

"What would we do without you?" She looked up into his eyes and reached out to caress his cheek.

"I hope you'll never have to worry about that again," he said looking down at the ground, guilt eating away at him.

Carly put her hand under his chin and pulled his face up to hers. "Jack… you listen to me. Never once in all the years I've known you have I ever questioned that. You've always been there for me… even when you didn't want to be."

He sighed heavily as he sat down on the edge of the bed. "Carly, you know that's not true. There have been lots of times when I've turned my back on you. But I want you to know that I will never, ever do that again."

"You've never done that when I've really needed you. Or when the kids have. You've done whatever you needed to, no matter the cost. Sure there were times you got angry and were mad and you left. I don't blame you. I did a lot of things I'm not proud of."

"Well, that's one of the things I'm not proud of. I never should have left. I regretted it instantly. But I was too stubborn, too proud to admit it."

"We're both too stubborn for our own good sometimes," she smiled.

"It was the biggest mistake of my life," he said pulling her down onto his lap.

She hugged him tightly. "I love you Jack."

"Oh baby, I love you too," he whispered holding her to him. Carly rested her head on his shoulder and he could feel her body relaxing. "You see… I knew you were exhausted," he said quietly.

"I just feel so safe here in your arms. Like nothing could ever come between us again."

"That's because nothing ever will," he said. The threat of Julia came creeping back to the forefront of his mind. He hoped that Daryl had overnighted a copy of the security tape.

She smiled against his shoulder. "Will you lay down with me," she asked. "I always sleep better when you're lying next to me."

"I wish I could sweetheart, but I need to go into the station. I'm waiting for some information on a case I'm working on and it's probably sitting on my desk already," he explained rubbing her back as he did so.

"Is this the case you were going to tell me about last night?"

Jack nodded.

"Since we didn't get around to it, for obvious reasons - why don't you tell me now," she said pulling back to look at him.

"Well, right now I need to get to the station. How about we talk tonight instead?" he offered hoping to put it off for as long as possible.

She searched his eyes. "Alright… tonight. And don't even think about trying to get out of it," she said touching his forehead with her own. He leaned in and kissed her as he stood up, helping her to her feet. He moved out of the way and then proceeded to pull the covers back and help her into bed. Her eyes felt heavy and she knew she needed the rest. He sat down next to her. Carly smiled up at his handsome face unable to resist the urge to reach out and touch his cheek. He reached up and pulled her palm to his lips for a kiss. His breath was warm and soft and sent goosebumps up her arm and all the way down to her toes. The affect did not go unnoticed by Jack. He smiled wickedly, reveling in the fact that he still had that affect on her… even when he wasn't trying.

"Oh don't be so smug," Carly said raising her eyebrow. Jack laughed huskily. He leaned over her, lowering his lips until they were just above her own. She closed her eyes and waited. Waited for the moment his lips touched hers. When time stopped and the world around her disappeared. She began breathing faster in anticipation.

Jack watched her. Watched her body react to his and felt his own responding to hers. He saw the tiny flicker of her tongue as she moistened her lower lip and he gave in to his desire. His lips touched hers and an electric shock rocked through him. He felt the light brush of her tongue against his and he responded. Their tongues intertwined just as his arms encircled her pulling her up to him. She wrapped her arms around him and let her fingers slide their way down to waistband of his jeans to tug on his shirt. Jack moaned with pleasure as he kissed her deeper. His fingers felt for her bra closure through the back of her shirt and deftly unhooked it. He slid his hands down her back finding the hem of her shirt and slipped them under it to caress her warm, smooth bare back. Carly's body tingled all over at the sensation.

Somewhere in the back of Jack's mind he heard it. It was barely audible, but it was loud enough to break into his subconsciousness and snap him back to reality. It was louder now and coming from his jeans pocket. He stopped the kiss and looked at his wife, needing that moment for his brain to catch up. Her lips were parted and there was a slightly confused look on her face. He heard the ringtone again from his phone indicating that the station was calling.

He looked at her with pleading eyes, "I'm so sorry honey. It's the station… I gotta take this call." Carly groaned her disappointment, flopped back against the pillows and sighed.

"Snyder," he answered. "The information is there? Fantastic… I'm on my way." he finished as he hung up. He turned his attention back to Carly. "I am _really_ sorry about this," he said disappointedly.

"Me too," she smiled.

"I'll see you tonight. I shouldn't be too late," he said kissing her cheek. He let his lips linger ever so slightly to avoid having to leave her. "Please get some rest today," he said getting up and walking toward the door. He paused there, looking back at her once more.

"I will. Love you," she said quietly.

"Love you too," he said mouthing a kiss to her and shutting the door behind him.

He walked down the hall and checked in on Sage one last time before leaving. She was sleeping peacefully. He needed to be at the station going over the tape to see if it was Julia. To find out for sure if it was really her or just some sort of twisted coincidence. However, the thought of leaving his girls alone in the house didn't sit right with him. He made a quick phone call to Rosanna, leaving her a message asking for her to check in on them today. Hopefully the stuff at the station wouldn't take too long and he'd be back home soon. He set the alarm and made sure the door was locked behind him as he left.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter Eighteen

Jack walked into the station a short while later all set to go over the security tape from Daryl. He sat down at his desk, looking all over for it. It wasn't anywhere. He opened drawers and still nothing. Standing up with irritation he walked over to Officer Hopkins to find out what the deal was.

"Hopkins! Can you tell me why I can't find the evidence that came for me on my desk?" Jack asked with suppressed anger.

"Sorry Detective. It's in the Interrogation Room." "I figured you'd want some privacy," he explained.

"Oh… Sorry about that," Jack replied sheepishly. He needed to relax and focus his energy on getting to the bottom of this - not blowing up at his fellow officer. "Thank you." He grabbed the case file and headed in expecting to be alone. He wasn't.

"Hello Jack. Long time no see," smiled the gentleman standing up as Jack walked in.

"Daryl? What are you doing here?" Jack asked completely surprised.

"Well, I know how urgently you needed this tape," he said holding it out to Jack. "I didn't want to be on the receiving end of a call from you saying you didn't get it. So, I hopped a plane and thought I'd hand deliver it myself. It was the only way to be sure," he added giving a shrug of his shoulders.

Jack grinned at Daryl's reasoning, knowing full well that is exactly what would have happened if that tape hadn't shown up. "Thanks a bunch for going above and beyond," Jack said shaking his hand and giving him a quick hug. "How'd you explain this little trip to your boss?"

"He knows about the case and knows about your time with us and your reputation. When I asked him - he didn't have any issues with it. Actually, the tape isn't the only reason I'm here."

"Oh no… what's up?" Jack asked curiously.

"I've actually been officially assigned to help you. I'll be staying here in Oakdale for as long as needed," he said.

"That's fantastic," Jack said immediately. He thought of how much easier it would be having Daryl here with him and using Daryl's contacts to get any additional help or information they might need. But then, he thought about what that actually meant. His facial expression and body language change instantly. "It's her… on this tape," he said holding it up. "Isn't it?"

Daryl looked down at his feet. "Yes it is."

Jack dropped down into one of the chairs. Fear crept in. Fear for his family. Fear of the unknown. Of not being able to determine exactly what Julia's motives and intentions were. His mind was a jumble of thoughts. Taking a moment, he got things under control and decided what his first order of business was. "I need to watch this tape. I need to see if there's any clues or tip off's in her actions or movements."

"Of course. Here, let me get it set up for you," Daryl offered reaching for the tape.

_Meanwhile back in Milltown…_

Carly had dosed off after Jack left for a couple of hours. He had been right in suggesting it. She had been exhausted and she felt so much better after the nap. She checked in on Sage who was still sleeping peacefully. Carly brushed her hair back off her face and headed downstairs.

It was mid-afternoon and she was getting ready to sit down with some toast and yogurt when the phone rang. "Hello?"

"It's Rosanna. Jack called this morning and told me what happened. How is Sage doing?"

"Hi Rosanna. She's still sleeping thankfully. Poor thing was so tired after that whole ordeal."

"Well, you can tell me all about it when I get there. I'm on my way over right now. I should be there in about 10 minutes or so. I just wanted to give you a heads up."

"You don't need to come over on Jack's orders," Carly said knowing full well that he'd asked her to.

"Oh yes I do. Besides, I have something I need your help with," Rosanna said.

"Alright, I'll see you soon then."

Carly hung up and turned her attention back to her yogurt and toast. She gotten in a few bites when the phone rang again. "Hello?"

"Hey honey. I was wondering if you'd be awake."

Carly smiled at hearing Jack's voice. "Yes, I woke up a little while ago. I'm having a snack right now."

"Glad to hear it. How's Sage doing?"

"She's still sleeping quietly upstairs. I don't think she's moved a muscle," she said smiling.

"I'm sure she's going to be pretty sore when she wakes up. Hey, I wanted to ask you if you'd be up for some company?"

"Yes, Rosanna is already on her way over Jack," Carly told him.

"That's good, but that's not who I was asking about. My buddy Daryl from the bureau is in town and I was thinking of asking him over for dinner tonight. But after everything that happened, I wanted to check with you to see if you and Sage are up to it."

"I'd love to finally meet Daryl. I don't see it being a problem. Sage will most likely spend time in her room. I can order something and have you pick it up, if that's alright. I don't think I'm up to fixing a big meal."

"You don't even have to do that. I'll take care of dinner. You just be your beautiful self," he said sweetly.

"Well how can I say no to that," she laughed. "I think that sounds great. I'll see you when you get home."

"Love you," Jack said.

"Love you too, she replied hanging up the phone.

Carly was able to finish her food and was cleaning up in the kitchen when there was a knock at the door. Carly walked into the living room and saw Rosanna through the door with a large shopping bag in one hand. Carly disabled the alarm and opened the door.

"How are you? Are you feeling ok? Any stress?" Rosanna asked taking off her coat and setting down her bag.

Carly took her coat and hung it up for her. "I'm fine. Feeling great… and," she thought for a moment. "No stress," she added remembering the third question. Carly and Rosanna walked over and took a seat on the sofa.

"I can't imagine what you must have been going through. I would have been a mess," Rosanna said.

"I would have been, if Jack hadn't been there. He's always able to get me through anything. Whenever he's around… I know everything's going to be ok."

Rosanna smiled wistfully. "I'm glad you have someone like that in your life. Not everyone does. Don't take it for granted."

Carly was slightly taken aback and it showed on her face. Rosanna quickly tried to explain. "I didn't mean anything by that. It's just some people aren't as lucky as you and Jack. They wait their entire lives to find their soul mate… and some never do."

Carly understood and couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt. She had come between her and Mike. What if Mike had been that someone for Rosanna?

As if she was able to read her sister's mind, Rosanna said, "Mike was not my soul mate. I can say that now. At the time and for many years after… I would have argued differently. But looking back at everything, I can honestly say he wasn't the one. I thought perhaps Paul was. We were very alike and still have a special connection to this day, but he wasn't either."

"Oh Rosanna! Please, don't tell me that you are going to try and reason that Craig Montgomery is your soul mate." Carly exclaimed. "In order to be someone's soul mate you have to be able to put their needs and wants above your own. To be able to understand who they are. That when you're with them, you're like two perfect puzzle pieces that just fit - no matter how you try to put them together. Craig has never and will never be capable of that. Don't settle for less than what you deserve," Carly pleaded.

"That's a very sweet thing to say. I didn't say Craig is my soul mate. But you have to admit, that there was a time when we were married that things were good. Very good. Who's to say that we couldn't get back there again at some point?"

"Would you really want to? I mean think about it Rosanna. I'll concede that you and Craig had some great moments, but are you forgetting about all the other really, really ugly parts? Don't just brush those aside. I was there remember, when you had to give Cabot back. I can still see your face, hear your words, feel your pain. I was also there right after you ended up in the hospital because Craig ran you off the road."

Rosanna sighed. She had not forgotten any of it. Though she supposed time had made it less painful. "I'm not looking for anything serious. I'm going to have dinner with him, that's all."

"You said yes to him?" Carly said shaking her head in disbelief. "Rosanna…" she trailed off disappointedly.

"Yes I did. And…," she said reaching into her bag, "… you can help me decide which one of these I'm going to wear." She pulled out 4 new outfits to choose from.

Carly pulled the bag over to look in it herself. "Is there a straightjacket in there? Cause I'm seriously thinking of having you committed for agreeing to have dinner with him," she said with a straight face.

"Ha ha! Very funny. No, there's no straightjacket in there. I couldn't find one to match my purse," she said dryly.

Carly laughed. "Alright, alright. I'll help you, but I want it noted that I am completely against this."

"So noted. Now, I'm going to try these on and you can let me know what you think," she said as she headed upstairs to change.

Rosanna came down after each of the first three. Nothing really stood out for Carly and she sent her back upstairs one final time hoping for something a little less boring. Carly was waiting patiently downstairs reading a magazine when Jack walked in the door.

"Hey sweetheart! How are you feeling," Jack asked. Behind him was a very attractive man in his mid to late 30's. He had light brown hair cut short with blue eyes. He was wearing a grey suit with a white dress shirt with a charcoal silk tie that had a tiny white pattern on it. He was tall, about 6'2". Jack walked over to Carly and helped her up so he could introduce her to Daryl. "Carly, I'd like for you to meet Daryl Sullivan. Daryl, this is my gorgeous wife Carly," he said giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"His very pregnant wife," Carly said laughing and patting her stomach. "It's so nice to finally put a face to the name. I've heard so much about you."

"Same here. Jack you are a lucky, lucky man," he said giving Carly a hug.

"Oh I like him," Carly said flashing a radiant smile.

"Does she have a sister?" Daryl said jokingly.

At that moment, Rosanna stepped down into the living room. All three heads turned in her direction. She was wearing the final outfit. It was a side draped dress with cap sleeves. It was a dark sapphire blue color with tiny crystal details at the neckline and the front drape. It fell to just above her knee. The color was perfect for her complexion. Carly smiled her approval, but Rosanna didn't notice. Her eyes were fixed on the stranger before her.

"Yes, she does have a sister. Who the hell are you?"


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter Nineteen

Rosanna stood at the bottom of the stairs with her hands on her hips waiting for an answer. The handsome stranger turned his head at Rosanna's response. His gaze immediately met her eyes, but soon his eyes took their time and looked her over from head to toe. Rosanna felt her cheeks grow hot as she blushed from his thorough visual exploration and she immediately felt self-conscious.

"Rosanna! You look stunning. That's definitely the one," Carly interrupted and hurried over to her.

Jack decided to remedy the awkward introduction and give Rosanna and Daryl a proper one. "I'm sorry. Rosanna, this is Daryl Sullivan. A friend of mine from the bureau. Daryl, this is Rosanna Cabot… Carly's sister." Jack smiled.

"Another beauty," Daryl said looking back into Rosanna's eyes as he walked over to her. He held out his hand. "It's nice to meet you," he smiled.

Rosanna looked from his face to the hand outstretched and waiting. "Yes, nice to meet you too," she said formally meeting his eyes once again. Daryl flashed her a grin and Rosanna felt the sudden urge to bolt from the room. This man was making her feel uncomfortable and that was definitely not something Rosanna enjoyed.

Carly had stood there, witnessing the entire exchange. She could tell that there was something going on between her sister and Daryl. Carly immediately began to play out scenarios in her mind as she tried to concoct a reason for Rosanna to stick around and have dinner with them tonight. She may not know Daryl, but Jack did and she trusted that. Plus, anyone other than Craig had to be an improvement, right?

"Sorry if we interrupted anything, ladies" Jack said. He'd witnessed the weirdness between Rosanna and Daryl, but dismissed it as nothing but an awkward interruption. "Rosanna, would you care to stay and have dinner with us? You can help keep Carly company while we talk about boring stories from when we worked together. You know, that way she's not suffering alone," Jack laughed.

Carly gazed over at her husband, a look of complete adoration on her face. If there hadn't been people in the room with them, she would have very passionately shown him just how she appreciated his suggestion. Jack caught her expression out of the corner of his eye. While he didn't understand what he did to deserve it, he knew the meaning behind it. His eyes met hers and he could feel his pulse quicken. He gave her a quick seductive smile, before anyone else noticed and then turned his attention back to Rosanna.

Daryl was studying Rosanna. She clearly was having some sort of inner struggle with the question. She opened her mouth to reply, but closed it again. She shifted her feet, still trying to decide. He opted to intervene. "I would really enjoy it, if you'd be able to stay and have dinner with us," he said. "Not only would you be helping Carly, but you'd be helping me out."

She looked at him. "How exactly would that help you?" she asked.

"Well, you know what they say… three's a crowd. You'd even us out."

"I think it's a fabulous idea," Carly interjected.

"Of course you do," Rosanna said leveling her eyes at Carly. "And don't try and act like you don't know what I'm talking about," she added when it looked like Carly was going to claim otherwise.

"Am I missing something?" Jack asked. "Do you have plans… is that what the dress is for?"

"Actually yes," Rosanna said giving a little sigh. She took a peek at Daryl before continuing to speak to Jack. "It wasn't anything pressing, though. I can reschedule." Rosanna turned to look at Carly. She could feel her beaming. "Don't say a word," she scolded her. "I'm going to go and change," she said heading back upstairs. Carly just stood and smiled and kept her mouth closed. She'd swallow her comments… for now.

Daryl gave Jack a look of confusion, which Jack returned. He was clearly just as lost by the cryptic conversation between the two sisters. However, Daryl's confusion was quickly replaced by happy anticipation. He was looking forward to this dinner. And more importantly, he was looking forward to spending some time here in Oakdale.

"Why don't you have a seat and relax. I'll go and get you a beer and then I'll get started on dinner," Jack offered Daryl.

"That sounds great," he said taking off his jacket.

"Oh, you can give that to me. I'll hang it up for you," Carly said holding out her hand. After hanging it up, she headed for the kitchen to use that time to speak with Jack. "I'll be right back. I'm going to see if Jack needs a hand," she explained.

"Take your time."

Carly walked into the kitchen to see Jack, with his back to her, removing the top off a couple bottles of beer.

"Hey beautiful," he said looking back as she walked in.

She walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. Up on her tiptoes, she kissed his shoulder. "Do you know how much I love you?" she asked smiling.

Jack grinned and twisted in her arms to face her, wrapping her up in his arms too. "If the look you gave me just a little bit ago was any indication, I think I'd enjoy you showing me," he said kissing her lightly on her lips.

"Oh, you have no idea just how grateful I am that you invited Rosanna to dinner. You, G-Man, are going to be rewarded very handsomely," she said huskily pressing her breasts against his hard chest. She leaned up and kissed his neck at his shirt opening. She felt his strong hands move over her back pulling her closer. He turned his head, nudging hers slightly. She obliged him by lifting her face to his as he immediately descended on her mouth. His tongue found hers as her hands moved up to his neck pulling him closer.

"Am I interrupting?" a voice rang out.

Jack and Carly pulled apart and turned toward the sound of the voice. Rosanna stood there with her arms folded. Jack cleared his throat and turned away to adjust his clothing, emitting a loud sigh to indicate that Rosanna couldn't have come in at a more inopportune moment.

Carly, on the other hand flashed Rosanna a knowing smile. "You know you are. Do you feel better now?"

Rosanna looked back at her sister. She knew she was acting like a spoiled brat, but she also still felt like she'd been tricked into staying for dinner. "A little," she answered.

Jack had no clue what the girls were talking about and looked at them like they were both nuts. "I'll let you two have a moment," Jack said as he grabbed the bottles of beer and went back into the living room to where Daryl was waiting.

"Can I get you something to drink?" Carly asked.

"No, I'm fine."

"Daryl seems nice, doesn't he? And he's so good looking. Jack never mentioned that, though I suppose that's not something he would say," Carly said as she grabbed a glass from the cabinet to get herself a glass of water.

"Yes, I suppose he's attractive," Rosanna played along.

"And I know for a fact that he's not married," Carly added.

Rosanna laughed. "Boy! You're not even trying to be subtle about this, are you?"

Carly turned around. "No, I'm not. I'm too tired and I'm getting hungry again," Carly said as if that was all the explanation needed. "I've made no secret that I don't want you getting involved with Craig again. Plus, I saw how he looked at you," Carly said grinning.

Rosanna blushed slightly. She wasn't about to admit that she'd noticed how Daryl had looked at her, or the fact that without wanting to, a part of her enjoyed the attention. "I just startled him," she said making up an excuse.

"Oh please! I'd buy that if he'd looked at you and then looked away. But that's not what he did and you know it." Carly began to dig in the fridge to put together a plate of crackers, cheese and veggies.

Rosanna opted not to respond and instead started helping Carly. Her silence let Carly know she hit the mark and she smiled to herself. They continued in silence for a few minutes when Jack came back into the kitchen.

"Honey, I told you that I'd take care of the food," he said coming up to Carly and kissing her head.

"I know, but I thought I'd get this set out for you. Besides…" she said grabbing a carrot, "I'm getting a little hungry."

"I'm sorry. Let me get dinner started now. What kind of husband would I be if I let my pregnant wife starve?" he joked.

Carly laughed and grabbed the plate of food and handed it towards Rosanna. "Could you take this out to the living room? I'll help Jack get things going in here. I'll be right out," she said, giving her an innocent look.

Rosanna grabbed the plate and gave Carly a look. "If I leave you two in here by yourselves, we may never eat tonight."

Jack and Carly looked at each other and laughed. After Rosanna left the room, Jack turned to Carly. "Ok, tell me what is going on between you two."

"Well, Rosanna asked me to help her pick out an outfit for a date tonight," Carly started.

"Why did she say she'd stay and have dinner with us then?" Jack interrupted.

"Daryl," Carly answered simply.

"Am I missing something?"

"Men," Carly said shaking her head. "Didn't you notice how he looked at her?"

Jack shook his head. "Should I have?"

"I thought you were supposed to be a cop," Carly teased giving him a playful smile.

"Oh, is that how it's going to be?" Jack teased her back. He walked over and grabbed her and pulled her into a hug. Carly laughed. "So Rosanna decided to stay and have dinner with us because of Daryl. Huh… who was her date with?"

"That's the best part," Carly said, barely able to continue her joy. "She blew off Craig!" She beamed up at Jack. "So now you know why I'm so grateful to you for your suggestion. I was already trying to find some way to keep her here once I saw the looks pass between them. And then you made the offer and it was like you read my mind," she said with awe in her voice.

"Ah, now I see," Jack smiled. "I also see that yes you do, in fact, owe me big time. So… when are Daryl and Rosanna leaving?"


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter Twenty

Carly and Rosanna sat in the living room listening to Daryl tell stories about Jack when he was with the Bureau. Carly was in heaven because getting details like this from Jack was like pulling teeth. Jack was cooking dinner and would at times, hear bits of the story and interject a comment here or there to correct Daryl. The girls got a good laugh out of that and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. Even Sage was having a good time. She'd made her way downstairs and was sitting in the oversized chair with her mom, her head resting on Carly's shoulder. Parker had called to let them know that was going to eat at a friend's house since they were partnered on a school project.

"Dinner is served," Jack called out as he brought a couple of platefuls of food to the table. He'd made teriyaki chicken skewers, rice and a nice green salad for the adults. Sage was restricted to chicken soup and applesauce. Jack pulled out a chair for Carly and Sage, while Daryl pulled out a chair for Rosanna. She smiled shyly as a way of thanks and sat down. Carly bit her lip in order to keep herself quiet. Now that Jack was able to fully participate in the conversation, it was his turn to tell a few stories of his own, with Daryl on the receiving end this time.

After dinner was finished, Sage was feeling a little tired still. Rosanna and Daryl offered to clean up while Jack and Carly headed upstairs with Sage. They got her settled back into bed with books, her ipod and the tv remote. As they head back downstairs Carly reached for Jack's hand. "Tonight was a lot of fun," she said smiling up at him.

"Yeah. I had a good time too. It's been a long time since we had anyone over to the house for dinner like this."

"I know… too long, she smiled wistfully. Did you notice how Rosanna and Daryl kept looking at each other when they thought the other one wasn't looking?"

"Carly," Jack said looking sideways at her. "Daryl's only going to be in Oakdale for a little while."

"I know, I know. But things can change. Besides, I'm just thrilled that she stayed here with us instead of going out with _him_," she said stepping down off the last step.

Still holding her hand, Jack pulled Carly close. "How are you feeling? Are you getting tired?" Carly placed Jack's hand over the baby. He could feel the baby moving quite a bit.

"I'm feeling good, maybe a little tired, but… this child however, hasn't stopped moving since I ate," Carly said looking up into Jack's eyes. "Must of liked the dinner you made."

"I love you," he whispered as he leaned down and kissed Carly's cheek.

_Meanwhile…_

She stood watching. Hatred filling her eyes. Hatred and loathing. She felt physically ill watching the two of them. Watching them smiling, touching and kissing each other. She put her hand over her mouth and closed her eyes in order to try and push the nausea that threatened to undo her. She took several deep breaths and steadied her stomach. She resumed her watch through a space in the window and saw them now sitting on the sofa together. He had his hands on her stomach… feeling, touching, talking to the baby growing there. She watched them laugh and kiss again. She clenched her fists. Her nails dug into the palm of her hand drawing blood. That should be her in there with him. They should be laughing and kissing and making plans for their future. Not _her_. _She_ doesn't deserve him or this life. It doesn't belong to _her_. _She_ stole it! The anger pulsed through her causing her to loose focus. She took a step backward, forgetting her footing. A loud crash brought her out of her haze and she looked down to see a clay pot lying broken into several pieces. She quickly glanced inside again saw their heads turned toward the noise. He was getting up and she knew she had to get out of their quickly. She turned and headed toward the house next door to use the trees and shrubs as cover.

_Back inside…_

"Do you see anything out there?" Carly asked Jack as he made his way over to the window.

"What's going on out here?" Rosanna asked. "We heard something break."

"I'm not sure. Jack's taking a look," Carly explained.

Daryl pulled out his gun and made his way over to Jack. Carly saw this as did Rosanna. They made eye contact with each other. Clearly something was going on that neither of them was aware of.

"Do you think that's really necessary?" Rosanna questioned. "I mean, it's probably a raccoon or something."

Daryl opened the door while Jack retrieved his gun. "I'll sweep the outside of the house. You stay inside and make sure someone doesn't sneak around and try to come in the back."

"Got it," Jack replied his senses on high alert.

Carly stood there listening to every word. She started going through all their conversations over the last couple of days. Everything started making sense. Cryptic cases, security systems, Daryl coming to town… all of it.

"Will someone please tell me what is going on?" Rosanna asked.

"Apparently there is a case that Jack and Daryl on working on and it's a lot more personal than Jack let me believe." Carly said staring him directly in the eyes.

He didn't say a word but returned her gaze, unblinking. It was enough confirmation for Carly. She glared at him and shook her head, doing her best to maintain her composure.

"Are you in danger? Is that what's going on?" Rosanna looked at Carly, her voice a little higher than normal. "Because if someone wants to harm you, I can hire someone as a bodyguard. Or… you know what might be better - you can come with me back to Europe and stay with me. I have to return to pack and get my things ready to move. No one would look for you there," she offered.

"I'm not going anywhere. At least not until I find out exactly what's going on. Isn't that right Jack," she said turning her attention back to him.

"We'll talk about it tonight. Later," he assured her.

"Yeah… where have I heard that before," Carly said under her breath.

Daryl returned with his gun back in it's holster. Jack shut up the house again and set the alarm. He turned to Jack and kept his voice low. "I didn't see anyone out there. I did, however, notice footprints in the dirt right outside the window where the pot broke. I've made a call to have someone come over to gather up any other evidence that might be out there."

"Thanks a lot Daryl."

"I've also assigned someone to camp outside the house for at least tonight. It'll help you sleep better and it'll make me feel better knowing there's someone else here, just in case."

"I really appreciate it," Jack said.

"For now, I think I should head out. I'll leave you to handle the stuff here. I'm going to make a few more calls and see what I can find out. I'll see you in the morning at the station."

"How are you going to get back to the Lakeview if I'm here handling the investigation?" Jack asked.

"I'll just call a cab."

"No. I'll drive you," Rosanna spoke up. Daryl turned to look at her and gave her a quizzical look. "I'm staying at the Lakeview too," she explained.

Daryl's eyes softened and he smiled at her. "That would be really nice."

Rosanna blushed. "I'll go and get my things," she said heading upstairs.

Not even an hour ago Carly would have been practically jumping up and down at the events that just took place between Daryl and Rosanna. However, given everything that happened before, she couldn't have cared less. She walked over to retrieve Daryl and Rosanna's coats. While waiting for Rosanna to come back downstairs, the investigation team arrived. Jack and Daryl busied themselves with giving instructions.

"All ready," Rosanna called as she made her way back down to the living room. Carly handed her, her coat. "Thank you," she said pausing to look at Carly. "Wow! You're really worried, aren't you?" Rosanna asked rubbing Carly's shoulder. "You haven't said one word about me taking Daryl back to the hotel."

Carly gave a weak smile and patted Rosanna's hand. "I don't know if it's worry or anger," Carly said barely able to take her eyes away from Jack. "He should have told me that something was going on."

"You know he loves you. Obviously, he had his reasons for keeping it from you."

"Yes. But if the roles were reversed… he'd be mad as hell," Carly said looking at Jack as he walked back into the room.


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter Twenty-one**

**Carly sat on the sofa, seething. Jack was finishing up with the detectives and discussing things in hushed voices so as not to be overheard. Carly sat with her arms crossed and just watched. She was going over everything that had transpired over the last couple of days and trying to figure out what it all meant. Detective Mitchell came downstairs wearing protective gloves and carrying the silver baby rattle Carly had received as a gift a few days earlier. This got Carly's attention and she stood up walking over to the group of detectives as they placed it an evidence bag.**

"**What are you doing with that?" Carly questioned the detective.**

"**We're taking it to the station. It's evidence," Detective Mitchell replied looking at her with a confused expression.**

**Jack had his back toward Carly and turned upon hearing her question. "Carly, I'll explain everything once we're alone. Please let them finish up and then we can talk," he said softly to her as he put his arm around her and attempted to lead her back to the sofa.**

**Carly moved out of Jack's reach. "Don't…," she said frostily. She walked away from him and headed towards the kitchen. Jack sighed and slowly turned back towards the other detectives and finished giving instructions.**

**About twenty minutes later, Jack entered the kitchen to find Carly leaning against the counter drinking a glass of water. "Are you ready to talk?" Jack asked her.**

"**I've been ready… for days now, but you've refused to really answer any of my questions. So, the real question is whether YOU are ready to talk," she said giving him a glare.**

"**Fair enough. Why don't we go and sit down on the sofa," Jack offered.**

"**Why don't you quit stalling and just tell me what the hell is going on!" **

"**Carly. I'm going to tell you," Jack said with a sigh. "Just please come and sit down," he begged.**

"**I'm too angry to sit down. Who do you think was outside tonight?" **

**Jack looked at her, dreading this moment. He didn't want to tell her, but he knew he must. **

**Carly could tell he was stalling. "Jack…"**

"**We have reason to believe it was Julia," he finally admitted.**

**Carly looked at him with shock. This wasn't what she was expecting. She hadn't known what to expect, but this wasn't it. Questions raced through her mind as she tried to figure out what Julia's motivation might be. Jack studied her reaction. He could tell that she was trying to understand what that actually implied. He recognized the dawning of realization when she figured out what Julia was perhaps after. Carly put her hands on her stomach as her eyes grew wide. "Our baby!" she said barely above a whisper.**

**The look in Jack's eyes gave her all the acknowledgement she needed. He grabbed her and hugged her tightly to him. "I won't let her hurt you or the baby," he said fiercely. "I promise you Carly… I won't." **

"**Why? Why now?" she asked not really expecting an answer.**

"**I don't know. I don't know. I've tried to figure out why she waited all these years and I haven't been able to. I'm sure it has to do with you being pregnant and the fact that all she's wanted was a child of her own. Remember the last time you were pregnant with Sage, she'd just tried to reek havoc and was still very much on the run. Perhaps enough time had passed that she thought she'd have a better chance of succeeding in whatever she has planned."**

"**How long have you known?" she whispered.**

"**Since the day you received the rattle," he confessed. "I didn't know for sure that the rattle was from her, but earlier that day at the station I received information that she'd been spotted along the Canadian border. When I got home and you told me about the rattle - something didn't seem right. I did some digging and found out the rattle had been purchased from a place in Canada. It was too much of a coincidence for me not to get Daryl involved. He helped me out and got me a copy of the security tape from the store and it confirmed that Julia was the one who purchased it and had it shipped to you."**

"**Why didn't you say something? Why didn't you tell me? I think I have a right to know whether or not someone's trying to hurt my baby," she said feeling herself getting angry again.**

"**I didn't want to say anything if I wasn't certain it was Julia and worrying you over nothing. This pregnancy has been going really well and I didn't want to risk preeclampsia setting in again. You can understand that, can't you?" he asked.**

**Carly thought it over for a moment and then shook her head. "Jack, what would you have done if I'd kept something like this from you?" she leveled at him.**

**Jack took a deep breath and looked down as he thought about how he was going to answer. "Carly, this isn't the same thing. Your pregnancy is considered high risk despite you not having any problems to this point. I'm trying to protect you and the baby. How can you get angry with me for that?"**

"**I seem to recall doing something very similar to that myself. Only in that circumstance you didn't believe me and you decided to "move on with you life" with the same whacko that's now trying to get back at us!" **

**Jack hung his head. He knew every single word Carly said was true. Thinking back to how he'd handled that entire situation from the moment Carly was taken to Hong Kong to the point where Julia tried to kill Carly in the quicksand - he knew he made a million mistakes. However, he wasn't about to let those same mistakes hurt Carly or the baby now. "I know I screwed up. I was so hurt when I thought you were leaving me. I couldn't get past it. I should have known you would never willingly leave me or Parker. But you'd left me before for Hal and the money and I guess my insecurities let me think that you'd leave me again. I should have come after you and figured out what was really going on and I'm sorry for that. I really and truly am. Then, when you came back… I was horrible to you," he said guilt eating at him before he continued. "I saw you and all the hurt and pain I'd felt that day came flooding back and I reacted. I wanted to hurt you as much as I hurt, not knowing that I'd already hurt you by not coming after you. The easiest way to hurt you was to use Julia to do it. And now look at us… this is all my fault. I've put you and the baby at risk," he finished looking at her. The pain and guilt showing through his deep brown eyes.**

**The anger Carly felt vanished as she looked at him. "Oh Jack…," she said reaching out to touch his cheek. "This isn't your fault. You aren't the one who made Julia go crazy. She had issues long before she met you or me. I don't blame you for this. I'm mad because you didn't tell me. But then, if I'm honest with myself, I don't really have a right to be angry at you for keeping something from me," she said sheepishly. "This is like some kind of weird role reversal."**

**Jack gave a small laugh and looked at his wife. Her blue eyes looking back at his, a small smile on her face. He brushed a strand of her hair back off her face and glanced down at her lips before looking back into her eyes. He'd loved her from that first moment. He hadn't recognized it right away but he had. She was what he'd been searching for, longing for all those years. The intensity of those feelings had scared him at times and that had played a huge part in all their breakups. No longer an issue - he embraced them. He leaned closer to her and touched her forehead with his own. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I just wanted to protect you, the baby and the kids. Can you forgive me?" he asked softly with his eyes closed.**

**Carly brushed her nose against his and rubbed her cheek with hers. "There's nothing to forgive. I know you were just trying to protect all of us." She wrapped her arms around him, "I love you." **

"**Oh baby, I love you too," he said hugging her closer to him.**

"**Just promise me that you won't keep anything from me anymore. We're a team G-Man."**

"**I promise," he said pulling back and looking her in the eyes before leaning in slowly. He brushed his lips softly against hers… waiting. **

**Her mouth parted slightly and she pressed her lips against his. He kissed her back hungrily. Carly moved her hands up to Jack's neck and kissed him back. Perhaps it was the excitement of the night and the situation at hand, but they both felt an urgent desire that needed filling. Jack let his hands slide down her back and slowly brought them around to the front and started to unbutton Carly's shirt. He began to feel frustrated at the time it was taking and ripped it open instead exposing her ample breasts to his sight. Carly broke the kiss off at that and looked at Jack with a mixture of shock and desire. She was breathing fast and she smiled as she watched his eyes linger on her breasts. She was wearing a periwinkle blue bra that closed in the front. His lips followed his eyes and he kissed the top of her breasts. Carly slid her hands down from his neck to his biceps where she held onto to him as she leaned back. Her head fell back as she allowed the pleasure of his kisses to wash over her. Jack held her tightly at the waist as he trailed kisses up her neck to her jaw line. Carly reached up and pulled his face to hers and kissed him deeply. She dropped her hands and made quick work of Jack's shirt as he fumbled with the clasp of her bra.**

**Jack laid her back on the sofa as he removed the rest of his clothing before helping Carly shed the rest of hers. He moved above her and positioned himself, not entering her just yet. Carly pulled at his shoulders not wanting to wait - needing to fulfill her desire. He kissed her neck and let one of his hands cup her breast. He teased the nipple with his thumb as it hardened with pleasure. He felt her shiver at the touch. He let that same hand slide lower, gently over her belly and downward. Her legs parted further and he slid his fingers inside of her feeling that she was clearly ready for him. His kiss traveled back up her neck to her mouth as he teased the nub at her center, causing her to moan in pleasure. **"**Oh God, Jack," she said huskily as she reached down and wrapped her hand around him. **

**The instant sensation nearly undid him. He moved his hands and braced himself, so as not to hurt the baby. He entered her easily with one swift thrust and held himself there reveling in the heat their bodies created. He looked down at her face, eyes heavy with desire. Her mouth was open and her eyes closed as she enjoyed the sensation of him filling her completely. She began to move impatiently, though, as she wanted more. He kissed her gently. "Look at me Carly," he whispered, his voice low and deep. She opened her eyes and gazed back at him. He began to move slowly, never taking his eyes off her. With every thrust she gave a little moan. She wrapped her ankles around him, pulling him deeper and encouraging him to move faster. He did. **

**Carly closed her eyes as her breathing increased. Jack leaned down and kissed her neck, nipping at her collarbone and sending shivers down her back. She turned her head, kissing his shoulder and nipped him back. Jack drove harder and deeper causing Carly to cry out. She could feel his body tense as hers gave a release, waves of pure pleasure washed over her as Jack's body gave it's own. **

**They stayed there together, on the sofa, for awhile. Just holding each other. Jack had pulled the throw blanket over them. He held her to him, caressing her arm as his head rested on hers. He wanted to stay there with her, like that, forever if he could. Reality slowly returned though.**

"**You know… I was thinking," Jack began cautiously.**

"**About what?" Carly asked stretching slightly as she snuggled closer to him.**

"**About Rosanna's offer…"**

**Carly was silent a moment as she thought back to the events earlier in the night. "About getting a bodyguard?"**

"**No. The other one," Jack said softly.**

**Carly thought again and then stiffened. She moved out of Jack's arms taking the blanket with her as she stood up. "Absolutely not Jack Snyder!" **

**Jack sat up grabbing his boxer shorts to cover himself. "Carly, it's actually a good idea. If you're hidden where Julia can't find you, then it'll allow me to focus all my attention on catching her and I won't have to worry about whether or not you're safe."**

"**I won't do it Jack," Carly said pulling the blanket tighter around her as she sat down in the chair.**

**Jack pulled the ottoman up and sat across from Carly. He rested his elbows on his knees as he looked into her determined blue eyes. "Please consider it Carly. You could take the kids with you, so that way they'll be safe too," he offered in an attempt to make the idea more appealing to her. **

**Carly recognized the ploy for what it was. "Who's going to take care of you and keep you safe?" she said quietly, fear creeping into her mind. She couldn't bear the thought of anything happening to Jack. She knew what Julia was capable of. While at one time Julia would have done anything to keep Jack close to her, Carly knew she was now willing to do whatever necessary to accomplish her twisted plans. Hadn't she already tried to kill Jack once. Who's to say she wouldn't try it again. Carly pushed that unwanted thought out of her mind. No way would she leave Jack to the whims of that lunatic. Not again.**

"**What do you say Carly? Will you at least think about it?" Jack asked again.**

**Inner turmoil tore at Carly. She knew he wouldn't let it drop until she at least agreed to consider it. She gave a weak smile and wrapped her hands around his. "I'll think about it," she conceded with a sigh.**

**Jack smiled back, grateful for the small victory. He knew he'd have his work cutout for him in trying to convince her. He kissed her gently and hugged her. **

**Carly hugged him back, taking a deep breath. She opened her eyes and thought to herself: It'll be a cold day in hell before I let Julia run me out of town. **


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter Twenty-two

A couple of days later Jack and Daryl were grabbing lunch at Al's. They were expecting to get results back from the lab on the evidence taken from outside Jack and Carly's house the other night. Jack had been quick to temper since that night and Daryl did his best to avoid a blowup. Jack on the other hand had a million things on his mind. First and foremost was that he was still trying to convince Carly to take Rosanna up on her offer to go to Europe for awhile. Carly had yet to agree to anything and was doing everything she could not to go. They had just finished giving their order to their waiter when Jack's phone rang. Daryl sat and tried not to listen to the one-sided conversation and instead focused on his coffee.

"Jack Snyder."

"Hello Dr. Hughes."

"Uh-huh… so did you determine what made her sick?"

"Yes, you can fax that over to the station to my attention."

"Ok. Thanks for everything, Chris."

"So what's the verdict?" Daryl asked. "Is she going to be ok?"

"Thankfully yes. I don't know what I would have done otherwise," Jack said quietly not really wanting to think about the possibility of that. "Apparently, there was a mixture of several basic pesticides in her system. Normally the exposure to one of them isn't fatal. However the combination of them potentially was. Dr. Hughes said Sage was lucky to have shown signs as early as she did. The outcome might have been…" Jack trailed off not wanting to finish the thought.

"But she's alright," Daryl smiled. "And we're going to catch Julia and stop her from wreaking havoc on you and your family."

"Yeah. I just wish Carly would make it easier by heading to Europe with Rosanna."

"How's that going, by the way?" Daryl asked, though he guessed he already knew the answer to that.

"She's absolutely refusing to go at this point," Jack sighed. "At first she seemed like she was actually considering it. But that was just to appease me, apparently. She mentioned that her doctor was here and she didn't want to find another one this far into the pregnancy."

"Well, she does have a point about that," Daryl admitted.

"That's not helping me," Jack said glaring at him. "I don't want her to go, but if it means keeping her safe, then that's what needs to happen."

"Have you told her that? That you don't want her to go, but think she should."

"I've tried everything. I'm running out of options. At this point, I'm considering kidnapping her myself and taking her there."

"Why don't you?" Daryl asked.

"What are you talking about? I can't go to Europe with Julia on the loose and nearby. She'd find out and then who knows what would happen. She'd follow us or just leave and then where would we be? No, I'm staying here and I'm going to put a stop to Julia once and for all," Jack said determinedly.

_Meanwhile at the Lakeview…_

"So, how do you plan on convincing Jack that you're staying?" Rosanna asked in between bites of the white chocolate bread pudding she and Carly were sharing for dessert.

"I really don't know. I've tried everything to convince him, but he absolutely will not budge," Carly said shaking her head. "He has this look in his eye, like he's plotting something to get me out of town, but I don't know what he has planned."

"Maybe you should just listen to him," Rosanna suggested softly. She knew what Carly's reaction would be, but in thinking through everything, she did think that Jack had a point.

"Are you turning on me? You're supposed to be on my side, Rosanna," Carly said looking at her sister with a hurt expression on her face.

"I am on your side. I love you and I don't want to see this lunatic hurt you or the baby," Rosanna explained. "Jack is a police officer. He does know what he's talking about."

"Yes, but he's also a little too closely involved in this case to make a rational decision," Carly argued. "He's always a little too over-protective at times. I love him for it, but it's also kind of annoying."

"Well, you could tell him you'll come with me for a couple of weeks but then you could return early instead. That way, you leave town like he wants you too, but not for very long," she suggested.

Carly perked up at that suggestion. "You might be onto something," she said getting a gleam in her eye.

Rosanna recognized it immediately. "What are you planning?" she asked warily.

"I have the perfect plan and I know it'll work," she said grinning.

Rosanna didn't return her smile. "Are you going to tell me what you're thinking?"

"In due time, dear sister. In due time."

_Back at the station…_

Jack and Daryl returned to the station after lunch. Jack had received another call informing him that the lab tests on the rattle and the shoe prints were also in and waiting for him. The faxed copy of Sage's blood work was also on his desk waiting for him when he arrived. They took the case information along Sage's blood work and headed into the interrogation room. Jack looked over both lab results and the color drained from his face. He put the paperwork down and stood up pacing around the room. Daryl grabbed them and studied the results. When he was finished he looked at Jack.

"Well, there's no doubt the poison in Sage's system is the same as on the rattle. Obviously she had been touching it," Daryl reasoned. "At least you know. There's no more doubt."

"Yeah," Jack replied but not sounding convinced.

"Then why do you still look so worried?"

"Because that's not what scares me. I figured the results would match up. The problem is that both Carly and I touched that rattle too and nothing happened to us."

"I don't get it?" Daryl said giving Jack a confused look. "Isn't that a good thing?"

"It means that the poison had to have been put on the rattle after we received it."

Daryl closed his eyes as he realized what that meant.

"She's been in the house," Jack said barely above a whisper.

_Back at Al's…_

Parker, Faith and Sage walked into the diner after school. Parker agreed to pick Sage up from school in his car as a special treat for her having gone through the poisoning ordeal. During the ride home, Parker had been overruled and the girls had won in stopping for some ice cream before heading home.

"Mom and Dad are going to kill me if you start puking again," Parker groaned as he slid into an open booth. Faith slid in next to him and Sage after her.

"Oh Parker… relax a little bit," Faith teased. "You can blame it on me if you get caught," she offered giving him a smile.

"I'm not going to let you take the blame for this. But seriously, we need to eat like fast in case Dad comes in and sees us," he said looking at Sage.

"You're the best!" she said looking in awe at her big brother. Parker smiled back and opened the menu.

A few moments later a red-headed woman entered the diner. She glanced cautiously around and spotted the three kids in the booth near the window. They were laughing and talking. The booth next to them was open and she nonchalantly slid into it. She noticed that the youngest had thrown her book bag over the top of the booth so that part of it was hanging into her own. She reached into her purse and fished around until she found what she had been looking for. Very carefully she placed the small object into a side pocket of the bag. She took a shaky breath once that was done and sighed in relief that she'd not been noticed. A waitress came by took the children's orders and then took hers. She listened to them talk about school and hoped to hear something of importance. However, the young man had looked outside the window and happened to see something that didn't make him happy. A moment later - HE walked in.

"What are you thinking, Parker? Your sister isn't supposed to be eating burgers and ice cream right now!" Jack said angrily.

"Don't be mad at Parker, Daddy. I begged him to stop and let me get some ice cream," Sage tried to explain.

"Yeah, Parker didn't want to stop. Sage and I kind of forced him into it," Faith said trying to help Parker out of the situation.

"Well, if I'm not mistaken Parker was the one driving. Therefore it was up to him whether or not to stop," Jack said still eyeing Parker.

"I'm sorry Dad. You're right. I shouldn't have stopped," he admitted without a fight.

Jack softened. "Thanks for owning up to that," Jack smiled. "And I can understand how tough it is to say no to one of the girls," he said turning his smile towards his daughter. "How are you feeling, honey?"

"I'm fine. Which is why I wanted Parker to stop. I'm kind of sick of yogurt and applesauce."

"Yes, I understand that. But Sage you're old enough to know better. You heard what the doctor said. You need to be careful with what you eat."

"I will. I promise. If I start to feel sick in any way, I'll stop," promised Sage looking up at her Dad with pleading eyes. A look he never could resist.

"Alright. You can stay, but don't over do it," Jack relented.

"Everything ok in here," Daryl said coming up to the table. "Hey Sage… nice to see you again."

"Hi Daryl," Sage said giving him a smile.

"Daryl, I'd like for you to meet my son Parker. Parker this is Daryl Sullivan. A friend of mine from the Bureau I used to work with."

Parker stood up and shook Daryl's hand. "Nice to meet you," he said politely.

"I heard that you're going to go to the academy this fall," Daryl said. "I think that's fantastic. From what I hear you have a good head on your shoulders. I think you'll do really well."

"Thank you," Parker said.

"I'll see you two at home in a little bit. Don't be too long," Jack said as he and Daryl turned and left Al's. Parker sat back down and the three of them went back to their previous conversation.

The red-head in the next booth however. Just sat there, deep in thought. He'd been there… right there. Close enough to touch. She'd had to resist the urge to speak to him, to touch him. His voice sounded exactly the same as it had in her head all these years. She shook her head to clear her thoughts. She needed to focus. First off, he hadn't noticed her - which was a good thing. Secondly, however, he had contacted the FBI and they were also here in town - which was a bad thing. She didn't need extra people on the lookout for her. She thought for a moment. She'd have to do something about this unwanted obstacle…


	23. Chapter 23

Twenty-three

Jack arrived home a short while later to find Carly working on a dress she was making for Faith. Parker had asked her to the school dance and Carly had offered to make the dress, much to Faith's delight. Carly was sitting on the sofa with her back to the door when Jack walked in.

"Hey beautiful," he said walking over to her to kiss her cheek.

"Hello yourself," she replied tilting her face back to look at him giving him a radiant smile. Never able to resist her mouth, Jack leaned back down to give her a slow, lingering kiss.

"Well that was a nice greeting. I think I'll make sure to be here waiting everyday when you get home," she said playfully.

"Now that's an idea," he said sliding down on the sofa next to her. She put the dress down and leaned back against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and held her close. He rested his cheek on her head. He closed his eyes as he inhaled the scent of her - a combination of her perfume and shampoo. It was intoxicating and he could feel the stirrings of desire. It shocked him sometimes how she affected him so easily. And usually without even trying.

Carly had her eyes closed too. The steady rhythm of Jack's heartbeat was always a comfort. A small smile curled her lips as she picked up on the increased beating of his heart. She recognized it for what it was and hers increased to match his. Two hearts, always in sync.

She wiggled slightly as she snuggled closer. Jack drew in a sharp breath at the deliberate action. With one hand he swept her hair away from her neck. He saw the goosebumps just as his lips connected with her neck. She shivered at the touch. He trailed his kisses down to her shoulder as she gave a sigh of pure bliss.

"Hey Mom, hey Dad… ugh! Do you guys have to do that down here?" came Parker's embarrassed plea from the doorway. Carly and Jack turned and saw 3 sets of eyes peering at them. One happy, one mortified and the other curious.

"I'm going to take my school stuff upstairs," Sage said with a huge grin on her face.

Carly sat up and adjusted her blouse as Jack grabbed a throw pillow and discreetly placed it on his lap. Carly, however, caught it and smiled knowingly at Jack. "Why don't you take Faith into the kitchen and get her something to drink," Carly suggested.

"We just came from Al's. We're not thirsty," Parker said hanging up his coat.

"Well, we have some of Aunt Emma's cookies still. Why don't you both go and get one now," Carly said not really leaving any room for disagreement.

"Come on Parker. I'd love a cookie," Faith said smiling up at him. She smiled back at Carly as she followed Parker from the room.

"That was awkward," Jack said eyeing Carly.

Carly laughed. "Now's your chance to get upstairs and out of sight G-man," Carly said softly, giving Jack a look she reserved only for those times when she called him by that name.

"I think I'll take a cold shower," he said grinning at her. He gave her a quick kiss before heading upstairs.

Parker and Faith came back into the living room a few minutes later to find Carly on the sofa working on the dress. "Is the coast clear," teased Parker.

"Just keep it up buster and we'll see who gets the last laugh," Carly said eyeing her son. "Turn about is always fair play." Parker closed his mouth as his cheeks reddened at that threat.

"Here Faith," Carly said handing her the dress. "I was just making a few final adjustments to it. Why don't you go and try it on. If I don't need to make any other adjustments, you can take it home with you."

"That would be awesome! Parker, you can't see me in the dress yet," Faith said turning to him.

"Alright, alright. I'll be up in my room getting started on my homework."

"I can't wait to try it on. It looks fantastic!" Faith said beaming at Carly. She ran up the stairs to the bathroom only to return about five minutes later with the dress on.

"I absolutely love it!" Faith said turning around and letting Carly get a full view of the dress from all sides.

It was a soft pale pink satin and chiffon dress that came to just above the knee. It had a halter top and open back. There was a slight ruffle to the hem of the dress. Carly had stitched tiny silver beads along the hem and collar. The color beautifully complimented Faith's complexion and Carly was very pleased with the outcome. "It looks stunning on you Faith. You're definitely going to turn heads in this one," Carly said hoping that Lily would be ok with the design.

"There's only one head I'm interested in," Faith said under her breath hoping Carly didn't hear. She blushed and looked down hoping to avoid a response.

Carly smiled and kept quiet. She knew what Sage was feeling. That nervousness of your first big date with a guy you really like and wanting everything to be perfect. Wanting to have just the right dress to really "wow" him. Carly had no doubt Parker would be happy upon picking Faith up for the dance.

"All my friends are going to be so jealous," Faith said continuing to inspect the dress.

"Wow Faith! You look all grown up," Jack said as he came down the stairs. Faith looked up after the compliment and flashed him a grateful smile.

She turned to Carly and rushed over to give her a hug. "Thank you so much for the dress. It's absolutely perfect!"

"It was my pleasure. I'm glad you like it," she said giving her a hug back. "I don't see anything I need to fix, so you can go ahead and take it home. Make sure to try it on for your mom and see what she thinks."

"I will and thanks again," she said smiling at Carly. She turned and walked back over to Jack and leaned up and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Thanks Uncle Jack."

Jack was stunned silent for a moment as Faith headed upstairs to change. He looked at Carly. "I don't think she's given me a kiss since she was ten years old," he said surprised. "She must really like that dress."

Carly smiled. "Yes, I think she does. I hope Lily's ok with it."

"I wouldn't worry about Lily. I'd be more concerned about Parker," Jack said giving her a look full of meaning.

"Oh God! What have I done?" Carly moaned sitting back down on the sofa.

Jack laughed and came over to sit beside her. "If it helps, I don't think it would really matter what she wore. Faith is a beautiful girl and Parker knows that. Dress or no dress."

"That is definitely NOT helping. It's like I wrapped her up and presented her to him. What was I thinking?"

"You were thinking like a designer. It's a gorgeous dress. However, if you make one of those for Sage at that age… she'll not be leaving the house," he said in all seriousness.

Panic covered Carly's face and Jack chuckled. "I'm just teasing you, Carly." He picked up her hand in his and brought it to his lips.

Carly shook her head at him. "That is not funny, Jack. I'm being serious. Faith loves that dress. What if Lily or Holden think she looks too grown up and they don't want her to wear it? Do you realize the situation that that would cause?"

"Maybe Holden will get her a big coat and make her promise to wear it over the dress."

"That would totally ruin the look," Carly said frowning at him. Jack just laughed.

Sage walked down the stairs to find her parents on the sofa. Her Dad was laughing and her Mom was giving him a playful punch in the arm. She didn't think it was possible for her to be more happy than she was. Everything was right with the world now that her parents were happily married again to each other. The last several years had felt awkward and wrong. Sage knew that her parents belonged together and she never gave up hope that they'd find their way back. Unfortunately it took longer than it should have. Regardless, they were together now and she knew that nothing would ever change that.

"Hey pumpkin," Jack said smiling at his daughter. He held out his hand to her and pulled her to him to give her a hug. "How are you feeling? Is your stomach feeling ok?"

"Yes Dad. I feel great. I told you that ice cream wouldn't be a problem," she said sitting on his knee.

"What?" Carly said looking at her daughter. "When did you have ice cream?"

Sage looked guiltily at her mother. "Well… umm, I asked Parker to stop at Al's for ice cream on the way home."

"And you knew about this?" Carly asked looking at Jack.

"I spotted the three of them at Al's when I was heading home," Jack explained. "I confronted them about it."

"And…," she said waiting for Jack to continue.

"And I told them to hurry home afterward," he finished.

"Sage just went through a horrible ordeal and you just told them to hurry home?" Carly asked incredulously.

"No. I got upset that they were there. I wasn't happy about it and I let them know it. I was upset with Parker for stopping in the first place. But it's fine, sweetheart. She obviously isn't having any issues."

"You should have asked, young lady," Carly said looking back at Sage. "Next time check first."

"I will… promise," Sage said crossing her heart as she did so. "I saw the dress you made for Faith, Mom. It's really pretty."

"Thank you honey," Carly said softening. "Way to butter me up," she chuckled.

Jack smiled. "Why don't you help your mom pick up her sewing kit while I get started on dinner."

"Alright."

Parker and Faith came down a short time later. Faith said goodbye but not before thanking Carly once more before leaving. Parker reassured Carly that he would be coming straight back home after dropping Faith off at home as they headed out the door.

_Meanwhile at the Lakeview…_

Daryl was finishing up his dinner in the lounge when Rosanna walked in and sat down at the bar. He smiled and placed the money on the table. He walked up and sat down in the empty seat next to her. "Fancy meeting you here," he said close to her ear.

Startled, Rosanna turned and saw that it was Daryl. A coy smile spread across her face. "Imagine that," she said flirtatiously.

"I'd ask you to dinner but, unfortunately for me, I just finished. How about a drink instead?" he flirted back.

"The lady has other plans," said a voice behind them.

Daryl turned and saw man standing behind Rosanna. He was dressed in a suit and tie and had a look of entitlement about him. Daryl watched as the man put a possessive arm around Rosanna's shoulders. He glanced back at Rosanna to gauge her reaction. The smile gone, she shifted uncomfortably in her seat not looking Daryl in the eye.

"Perhaps another night then," Daryl offered. "We could get together with Jack and Carly again. You have a good night," Daryl said smiling at her.

She looked up at him and smiled. "Goodnight," she said softly.

As Daryl headed towards the elevators, he was able to catch a bit of what the other man was saying to Rosanna.

"You told me you had dinner with Carly the other night." Craig fussed.

"I did have dinner with Carly. I also had dinner with Jack and Daryl."

"So who is this Daryl? Where did he come from?"

"Daryl is an old partner of Jack's," Rosanna explained.

"Another Jack… just what this town needs," Craig rolled his eyes.

Daryl smiled to himself as he made his way out of the lounge. He pushed the button and waited for the elevator. He was happy to be staying in Oakdale indefinitely. Things had become suddenly brighter. He was looking forward to seeing Rosanna again. The elevator doors opened and he stepped in and pushed the button for the 7th floor. Just as the doors were closing, a woman rushed up trying to get in. Daryl quickly pushed the button to hold the doors for her.

She stepped inside quickly and turned around. She looked at the button display and saw the number lit up. She smiled. "Number seven. It's my lucky day," she said out loud as she tousled her red hair.


	24. Chapter 24

Twenty-four

Daryl was standing in the elevator with the woman with red hair. He turned to look at her, but only could catch her profile. "I'm sorry… did you say something to me?" he asked politely, hoping she'd turn her head so he could get a better look at her.

"Not really to you. More just out loud. I'm also on the seventh floor," she replied, keeping her eyes averted.

Being an investigator, her behavior made Daryl think twice. It was subtle, but noticeable to him. He was about to continue the conversation and move closer to her, but the elevator stopped and the doors opened. Lisa Grimaldi got onto the elevator and used her card to access one of the suites on the top floor. Lisa glanced casually at the woman first and then Daryl. She recognized Daryl and knew that his expenses were being taken care of by the FBI. The red-headed stiffened.

"Hello Mr. Sullivan. I hope that you are enjoying your stay here at the Lakeview," Lisa said.

Interrupted from his previous mission, Daryl turned his attention and greeted Lisa. "Thank you, yes. I've had a very pleasant stay so far," he said giving her genuine smile.

"Well, I am very glad to hear that. Please do let me know if there is anything we can get for you," she said.

"Actually, there is something. Could you have your florist deliver some flowers to one of your guests for me?"

"Certainly. I'd be happy to get that arranged for you. To whom would you like the flowers sent?"

"A Miss Rosanna Cabot," he said flashing a grin.

"Ah, I see. Rosanna seems to have caught your eye, has she? She's a very sweet girl. I can have the florist send a bouquet to her room tomorrow, if you'd like."

"Actually, could you have them deliver her a single pink rose to her in person right now? She should be in the lounge. I believe she's having dinner in there." The elevator stopped on the seventh floor and the red-haired woman exited quickly. Daryl refocused his attention on the unknown woman and watched her leave the elevator and turn left.

"Did you want to include a note with the rose?" Lisa asked as Daryl exited the elevator.

"No. She'll know who it's from," he said. "Thanks for doing this. I really appreciate it," he said looking back at Lisa once more before the elevator doors closed. He turned around and again and made his way down the hall to the left. He looked, but didn't see her at all. He continued to walk a bit farther up to where the hall turned again. He looked left and then right, but she was nowhere to be seen. He stopped and thought a moment. He supposed she had entered a room, but thought for sure he would have heard one of the heavy doors close. He listened again, but nothing. He turned and made his way back to the other way toward his own room. He got to his door and dug into his jacket pocket to retrieve the key card.

Unnoticed, the woman with the red hair stood watching, out of sight…

_A short while later…_

Rosanna and Craig were sitting in the Lakeview lounge having dinner. The conversation was mostly one-sided, as Craig did his best to soften up Rosanna in an attempt to possibly renew their relationship. Rosanna was looking at Craig, but not really seeing him. Her thoughts kept drifting away from the lounge and up to one of the floors above where Daryl was staying.

"Rosanna? Did you hear what I said?" Craig asked for the second time.

"Huh? What? Oh, I'm sorry… what did you say?"

"What is wrong? Are you not feeling well?" Craig asked. He was sure that had to be the reason for her lack of focus on him, since what else could it be.

"I'm fine. Just thinking that's all. I've got a lot of things I have to do before I move back here to Oakdale. Now, what was the question?"

"I was wondering if you'd like to go to the park with Johnny and myself tomorrow afternoon. Perhaps stop and get some ice cream at Al's on the way back." Craig was aware of Rosanna's feelings for Johnny and didn't think twice about using them for his own gain.

"That does sound nice, but I don't think I can. I have to make arrangements for my trip back and I'm going to see Carly tomorrow. She might be coming back with me while I move."

"That can't take you all day, can it? Say you'll at least think about it. It would mean the world to Johnny. You know how much he loves you," Craig said laying it on thick. Rosanna had a reply all ready for him, but was interrupted by one of the hotel staff.

"Miss Cabot… this is for you," said the young woman. She handed over the single pink long-stemmed rose.

"Thank you," Rosanna said surprised. She turned to Craig, "Is this from you?"

"Please," Craig said trying to sound insulted. "Do you really think I'd send just one rose? You are certainly worth at least two-dozen." He hoped that was efficient praise.

"I think just the one is very romantic…," she said softly, letting her mind wander back upstairs in the hope that the flower was indeed from the man that had been occupying her thoughts since she first laid eyes on him.

Craig studied Rosanna's reaction and decided he didn't like it one bit.

_Meanwhile… _

Sage, Parker, Jack and Carly had finished eating dinner earlier in the evening. The kids were in Parker's room where Sage was attempting for what seemed like the millionth time to beat Parker at a video game. Carly was lying on the bed in their room looking at magazines.

"Only a half-hour more on the video games. Then reading and bed," Jack called out to the kids as he walked into his bedroom carrying a cup of tea for Carly. He set it down on her nightstand just as the phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Hey Dad," JJ greeted him.

"JJ! What a surprise. I'm happy to hear from you. How are things going in school?" Jack asked. Carly grinned at hearing the news that JJ was on the phone.

"Pretty good. Pretty great actually. I've been doubling my course load and it looks like I'll have enough credits to finish up early," JJ said.

"Really? That's great! So when do you think you'll be wanting to come home?"

Carly smiled at hearing that news. She'd missed having JJ around and away at school for the last couple of years. With the baby due pretty soon, she'd like to have everyone home for the occasion.

"I should be finished by the end of next week," JJ said.

"You finish up next week?" Jack asked completely surprised. "That is soon. But that's great too. It'll be nice to have you home again," he said echoing Carly's thoughts.

"It will be nice to be home. I've missed you guys a lot. Especially with Mom being pregnant. I wanted to make sure I was home before the baby was born."

"I know your Mom will be happy about that. She's right here… I'll let you talk to her. Love you," Jack said before handing the phone to Carly.

"Love you too Dad."

Carly beamed as she grabbed the phone. "Hi sweetheart! Is it really true? You're going to be coming home early?" she asked.

"Yeah, I can't wait to see you guys. After I'm done with my finals, I can use that next week to hopefully get my grades back and pack up all my stuff. I was thinking that maybe Dad and Parker could come and get me the following weekend."

"Well, Parker has a dance that weekend, so he'll be unavailable. But Sage or I could help," Carly offered. Both Jack and JJ simultaneously told her no to the suggestion that she could help. Carly laughed. "Alright, alright not me. But you know Sage would be more than happy to come and help you get your stuff and bring you home."

Jack nodded his head in agreement to do just that and Carly relayed that information to JJ. He sat down on the bed next to Carly.

"Alright JJ. Take care and we'll see you home very, very soon. I can't wait! I love you," Carly said.

"Love you too, Mom! Say hi to Parker and Sage for me."

"We will… bye." Carly hung up the phone and smiled at Jack. "It will be so nice to have all the kids home with us. It feels like forever since that's happened."

"It has been a long time," Jack replied back smiling. He leaned back against the headboard and stretched out his legs. Unfortunately JJ's call put a wrench into his plans to broach the subject of Carly leaving. He decided to bring it up anyway. "Have you given any more thought to going with Rosanna?"

"What? How can you ask me to go now? JJ is coming back and I want to be here when he gets home."

"I realize that, honey. But the fact is, Julia is still out there. She's still a threat whether JJ's home or not. I'm not willing to risk you or the baby getting hurt. I don't want you to leave. It'll kill me being away from you, but if it means keeping you safe then it's worth it," he said softly, a look of desperation in his eyes. He needed her to agree to this. He didn't know what he was going to do if she didn't.

Carly was quiet for a moment. She closed her eyes and contemplated on how to proceed. She'd come up with the idea that she'd pretend to go to Europe with Rosanna, but instead hide out in her suite at the Lakeview for awhile or until Rosanna came back. Carly thought that going to another country this far into her pregnancy was the absolute, worst idea ever. She should have smacked Rosanna for suggesting it in front of Jack. I mean really… what was she thinking? She had about 8 weeks until her due date and, for Carly, that was just cutting things far to close. Now with JJ coming home, Carly really didn't want to leave or even pretend to leave. Either way, she'd have to keep a low profile and keep away from the kids. The other problem was that Carly didn't want to lie to Jack. However she knew that if she told him no flat out, he'd come up with another way to get her there. Before answering, she needed to get additional information from him. "Exactly how long do I have to be gone for?"

"Well, how long is Rosanna planning on staying? I assume a couple of weeks, right?" he asked her back.

"I'm not entirely sure. I was under the impression that she'd only be gone a week at the most."

"I think it'll take her longer than that to get her things in order. I'm sure she was planning on being gone at least two weeks if not more," he reasoned.

"Jack," Carly began. "I refuse to be gone for that long. You're lucky I'm even considering leaving for a day," she said raising her eyebrow at him. "How long do you think it'll will take you to track down Julia?"

"Hopefully, not too long. I spoke with Lily today and she agreed to let Sage and Parker stay out at her place while you're gone. That way I don't have to worry about the kids being home alone, if I'm at work. Plus, Daryl said he'd put someone on Lily's house while the kids are staying there. Though honestly, I don't think Julia would ever target Lily or the kids."

"Yeah. She reserves those special feelings for you and I," she said sarcastically. "Do you think it's a good idea to have Parker and Faith under the same roof?"

"No and neither did Lily or Holden. Faith will be staying with Emma and Holden out at the farm while the kids are with Lily. As for Julia, I'm hoping that with the extra time and focus I'll be able to give this, I'll hopefully be able to find her and catch her quickly. A week or two… maybe three," he said avoiding her gaze.

"Three weeks? Are you kidding? Jack, I can't be away from my doctor for that long. The closer I get to the end of the pregnancy the more frequent my appointments become. Can't we do the whole body-guard thing instead?" she asked hoping to reach a compromise of sorts.

"We may have to do both, if Rosanna finishes up before Julia is caught."

Carly thought for a moment. This was the absolute worst timing ever for Julia to try and wreak havoc. She swore if she saw her that she might go ballistic herself. Carly sighed. She hated lying to Jack, but there was no way she felt she could leave. She couldn't be away from him, not when something awful could happen. What if he got hurt and she couldn't get back here quickly? What if something happened to one of the kids? Her doctor was here and she needed to be close given the high-risk pregnancy. No, there were too many reason for her not to go. Carly told herself over and over again, that he would understand once he found out and realized that he worried over nothing. Carly looked at him with a sadness in her eyes. "Ok Jack… you win."

Jack was so overjoyed that he misunderstood the look she gave him. He thought she was upset that she was going to have to leave. He didn't realize that it was for something entirely different instead. He hugged her to him. "Thank you, honey for doing this. You've made me so happy. Now I can rest easy knowing you're safe and I can focus on catching Julia and bringing you back home." He kissed the top of her head and rested his chin there. He gave a sigh of relief that he didn't have to figure out another way to get her out of harms way.

Carly laid her head against his chest, guilt eating away at her. What was she doing? Did she do the right thing? Time would only tell…


	25. Chapter 25

**Twenty-five**

It had been almost a week since Carly told Jack that she planned on going to Europe with Rosanna. Of course, Jack didn't know that what she really had planned on was instead staying at the Lakeview in Rosanna's suite. Every second of every minute of every day Carly felt guilt eating away at her. Sometimes the guilt was so bad that she almost changed her mind and really planned on going with Rosanna. In fact, she nearly confessed to Jack just yesterday.

Jack had come home from work early. He had stopped and purchased Carly some new luggage. Inside he had put some of Carly's favorite things. Magazines, chocolates, a new book, slippers and a picture of the kids and him to have while she was gone. Carly broke down crying at the beautiful gesture. Jack assumed that it was her hormones making her so weepy. That was probably part of it, but Carly knew the real reason for all the tears. Guilt. She absolutely hated lying to Jack, but she didn't think there was any other way to get around it. She knew Jack would find some way to get her out of town one way or another. If she played along, she wouldn't have to actually leave at all.

Rosanna was not happy about the little scenario either. She almost refused to go along with it at all until Carly reminded her that she was in this predicament in the first place because of Rosanna's suggestion. Rosanna relented and agreed to the plan.

So it was now the day before she and Rosanna would be "leaving". Carly had been fortunate to reschedule her doctor's appointment and get it in before she left. Jack had met her at the doctor's office and wanted to make sure the doctor was ok with Carly taking this trip at this point in her pregnancy. Dr. Schiller wasn't thrilled by it, but felt that Carly and the baby were physically healthy enough to do it. Carly had tried her damnedest to have the doctor tell her no to the trip, but it didn't work out. Jack had returned to work and Carly headed over to the Lakeview to finalize things with Rosanna.

"So… Jack still doesn't know a thing?" Rosanna asked, hoping that Jack did indeed find out and that she wouldn't have to go through with this lie. For it wasn't only Jack that she had ended up lying to. Rosanna had had dinner twice with Daryl this week. She had bumped into him the day after she had received the rose from him. She thanked him by accepting his proposal of dinner that evening. He had quite the gentleman and had walked her to her suite afterwards. He'd given her a kiss on the cheek that had made her fingers and toes tingle and left her wanting much, much more.

"No. He doesn't suspect anything. And it's killing me. I don't know if I'm doing the right thing or not," Carly said sitting in one of the chairs. "He's been so sweet about it. He bought me this care package wrapped up in new luggage and everything." Carly felt a cramp and took a deep breath and rubbed her stomach. Rosanna noticed it right away.

"Are you ok? Is it the baby?"

"It's just a cramp. It could be Braxton Hicks. I am far enough along that my doctor said I could start feeling them. I just…" she trailed off not finishing the thought.

"You just… what?" Rosanna asked worriedly.

"I just hope that they're not stress related. I mean, I am stressing out because of this whole mess, but my blood-pressure was fine when I was at the doctor's earlier. I just don't want to do anything that's going to harm the baby."

"Oh Carly," Rosanna began coming over to her and giving her a hug. "If you're worried about that, then why don't you just come with me. That way you don't have to lie to Jack anymore and you won't be stressing out about it."

Carly hugged her back. She pulled away and shook her head. "I told you Rosanna. I can't leave. My doctor's here. The kids are here. Jack is here. If something were to happen to him…" she took a deep breath. "I just have to be here."

"Alright. I know I can't convince you otherwise. So what time do you want me to pick you up tomorrow morning?"

"Actually, Jack is going to drop me off on his way to work. So, you won't have to do anything but get yourself to the airport."

"And what about the kids? Do they know why you're leaving?"

"No. Jack and I decided that it was best to keep that to ourselves. They think I'm going with you on this trip because it will be my last chance to get away before the baby is born. We told them they'd be staying at Lily's because Jack is working on a case with Daryl that might take him to Chicago and so he won't be home the entire time and will be working late."

"It sounds like you guys have thought of everything," Rosanna said giving her sister a sideways look.

_At the station…_

Jack was sitting at his desk on the phone with Lily. He wanted to ask her if it would be alright if Parker and Sage came over that night after dinner. He wanted to have a family dinner with Carly and the kids that evening before she left. And he wanted her all to himself that night.

"Sure Jack, that's not a problem. If you want, the kids can come over for dinner," Lily offered.

"No. I know Carly is going to want to spend time with the kids before she leaves. They can head over afterward. I really appreciate you taking them for me. Hopefully, it won't be for too long."

"I hope you're careful Jack. You never know what Julia could be capable of," Lily cautioned.

"Exactly. Which is why it's imperative that the kids and Carly are out of harms way."

"Well, I'm glad I could help. Let me know if there's anything else I can do. Bye Jack."

"Thanks again Lily… I owe you," Jack said hanging up the phone.

"The kids are set to go?" Daryl asked handing Jack a file folder.

"Yes. They're heading over to Lily's tonight. Can you make sure that the surveillance is set up over there tonight? I don't want to take any chances."

"You got it."

"What's this?" Jack asked opening the folder. Inside was a few photographs of a blond woman and a breakdown of her known whereabouts during the last month. Jack looked closely at the photos. They weren't very clear and were taken at odd angles. However, Jack was sure he could tell it was Julia in one of the photos. It looked like it had been taken near Al's diner. Julia had obviously either cut her hair and dyed it from the time she'd been in Canada purchasing the rattle or was wearing a wig. This particular photo had been taken about 2 weeks ago. Who knows if she still looked like this or if she had changed her appearance yet again. Thankfully though, they knew for sure she had been in town. It was something to go on.

"This is the most recent information we have obtained. It looks like she was here in Oakdale and hopefully still is. I don't think she's been spooked yet, so she should still be around."

"We can start checking out area businesses to see if anyone's seen her tomorrow. If that's alright with you," Jack asked. "Since this is Carly's last night, I'd like to get home early so we can spend some time together with the kids." _And later some time alone_, Jack thought to himself.

"Yeah, that sounds good. I think I might stop by and see Rosanna before she leaves," he said gathering up the paperwork and keeping his gaze down.

"So what's up with the two of you?" Jack asked with a smile on his face.

"Nothing. We've just had dinner a couple of times," Daryl said nonchalantly.

"Oh. That's it, huh?"

"Why? Is there a problem?"

"Absolutely not. I was just asking… you know making conversation."

"Sorry. I thought maybe you might have a problem with it because Rosanna is Carly's sister."

"Not at all. Rosanna and Carly haven't always gotten along, but I still wouldn't begrudge her something as simple as dinner out. I wouldn't want her to get hurt either. She's had a rough time in the relationship department."

"Does that guy Craig Montgomery have something to do with that?"

"As a matter of fact he does. How do you know about him? Has Rosanna mentioned him to you?"

"Actually, I ran into them at the Lakeview lounge. He seemed very possessive of her."

Jack laughed. "That's Craig alright."

"What's the history with them anyway?" Daryl asked.

"They used to be married a while ago. I'm not going to give you any more details than that. You need to ask Rosanna about him."

"I tried to the other night, but she said she didn't want to talk about him."

"I can't say as I blame her. I don't like talking about him either," Jack grinned. "On that note… I'm outta here. I'll see you tomorrow after I drop Carly off at the Lakeview."

"Have a good night," Daryl smiled.

"I certainly plan to," Jack smiled back. He was not looking forward to Carly leaving. However, he was very much looking forward to saying goodbye tonight…

_Meanwhile…_

She had been listening off and on for the last week. She knew dumping the listening device into the backpack wouldn't give her the best results, but it had given her some information. She'd learned that _she_ was heading out of town with her sister. She also learned that the kids were going to be staying with her former friend, Lily. Which meant that he would be home… all alone. The temptation of him and only him in their house was nearly more than she could bear. While he was her objective in the long run, she had to be patient and do what she could to ensure he'd be hers for the taking. Finding out _she_ was leaving was very vexing. She'd cut her hand pretty badly when she'd slammed it into the mirror upon hearing that. The cuts were pretty deep and had needed stitches, but that was something she couldn't risk going to the emergency room for so she'd doctored her hand herself. She had soaked the thread and needle in alcohol and stitched it up. It wasn't very neat and it would surely leave a scar, but it was something she had to deal with as a result of her loosing control of her emotions. _She_ always pushed her control to the limits. She had to remain in control and focused or else her plan would never work. Plus, now that she'd found out _she_ would be gone she had to come up with another plan. Since the house would be empty during the day, she'd planned on gaining access and laying a trap from within. Getting into the house with the security system was the challenge she was still working through. Her other plan, in the meantime, would be disposed of shortly. She'd followed the gentleman from the FBI back to his suite and noted the number. Once he was out of the way, she would be one step closer to her goal. She smiled as she went over the plan again in her mind. "He'll never know what hit him," she laughed.


	26. Chapter 26

Twenty-six

Jack had left work early so that way he could get home and make dinner. He decided on roasted chicken, baby reds, asparagus and a fruit salad. Sage and Parker were already home from school and had helped him with dinner. Jack wanted everything to be perfect. He knew Carly was still not happy about going with Rosanna, so the least he could do was ensure her last night home was a special one. Sage had even gone out and picked some flowers for the table as a special gesture of their last dinner before Carly's trip.

Carly arrived home to the wonderful aroma filling the house. Her stomach immediately let her know that it was indeed time to eat again. She put her hands on her belly and patted it gently. "I'm sure dinner is almost done, little one." She hung up her coat and was heading towards the kitchen when Sage came out carrying the plates and silverware.

"Mom you're home!" She gave Carly a huge grin and put her load down before running over to give her a hug.

"Hi sweetheart. Something smells absolutely delicious," she said kissing the side of her head.

"Dad, Parker and I are almost done with dinner. I was just going to set the table. You should sit down and relax. I'll let Dad know you're here." She turned and rushed into the kitchen to deliver the news.

Carly sat down on the sofa, leaned her head back and closed her eyes. A few moments later, she felt a warm breath at the base of her neck and the soft touch of lips brushing against her skin. She tilted her head to give him better access as she smiled slowly. All previous thoughts left her mind as she concentrated on the sensations his touch spread throughout her body. He trailed kisses up the slender column of her neck to her jaw line at which point, she turned her head towards him and his lips sought hers. Her mouth was open and inviting and Jack felt all conscious thought begin to leave him as he allowed himself to fall under her spell. Somewhere in the back of his mind, thoughts of dinner and the children were trying to reign him in. He pulled back slowly and reluctantly and gazed into the face of his beautiful wife.

"Hi," he said huskily giving her a grin that made her knees weak.

"Hi," she whispered back staring up into those warm brown eyes that took her breath away.

"Are you hungry?"

"For you… always." She reached up and ran her fingers through his hair, pulling him back down for another kiss.

"That wasn't exactly what I was referring to," he mumbled against her lips. "But I certainly like what you have in mind. "Why don't we start with dinner and then we'll see where the night takes us…" His eyes stared intently into hers, full of desire.

Carly could only nod. She could feel her body responding to the tone of his voice, the look in his eyes. Her heartbeat quickened and she moistened her lips as her breathing increased at the thought of things to come. Jack immediately noticed her body's response to his and could help but grin in smug satisfaction.

Carly smiled wickedly at his reaction and bit her lower lip drawing attention to her mouth. She too knew exactly how to play that game. She watched as his eyes fixated on her mouth instantly, his own breath coming faster. They locked eyes as he leaned down slowly to capture her mouth once more. He felt the tip of her tongue slide across his lower lip. A moan of desire reverberated deep in his chest and he lost himself in her. His passion took over and he kissed her deeply. His tongue plunged into her mouth as he reached up with one hand to cup the back of her head. She matched his desire as their tongues encircled each other.

"The chicken's done!" Parker called from the kitchen.

They broke apart, breathing heavy as the world around them came back into focus. Jack groaned his disappointment. Carly couldn't help but chuckle. "Perfect timing, as usual," Jack said shaking his head and laughing as he stood up straight. He walked around to the front of the sofa and helped Carly up.

"I'm happy to see you," he said softly kissing her forehead. He knew anything more than that at this point was far too tempting and would only get them into trouble.

"I could tell," she said flashing him a brilliant smile. "Dinner smells heavenly and this baby definitely needs food." She patted the baby.

Jack placed his hand gently over hers and leaned down to kiss Carly's stomach. "Well if the baby is hungry, then I say let's eat." He grabbed Carly by the hand, led her over to the table as the kids came out of the kitchen carrying the food.

_At the Lakeview… _

Rosanna was finishing packing when there was a knock at her door. She put down the clothes she was carrying and went to answer it. She smiled at the face greeting her on the other side.

"Hi."

"Hope I'm not interrupting anything," Daryl said smiling back.

"Not at all. I was just finishing packing. Actually, I could use a distraction," she said stepping to the side. "Please come in."

"Thanks." Daryl walked inside and let his eyes roam the room. They eventually arrived back on Rosanna. They looked at each other in awkward silence for a moment before Rosanna spoke to break the tension.

"Can I get you something to drink?" she said walking over to the bar.

"No, thank you. I, uh… actually wanted to ask you if you'd like to have dinner with me. You know, before you left tomorrow. Unless, of course, you have other plans."

"I was just going to have dinner in my room tonight… since I have to pack for my trip."

"Sure. It was just a thought. I should probably get going. I'll let you get back to packing," he said trying his best not to give her a disappointed smile.

Rosanna shifted her feet and lowered her gaze. "Well, um, if you don't have any objections… you could stay and have dinner with me here," she finished quietly. When he didn't say anything, she allowed herself to look up into his face. What she saw, made her breath catch. He was staring at her with a burning desire.

"I'd like that very much."

_Meanwhile back in Milltown…_

Carly had tears in her eyes as she stood in the living room. Parker and Sage had just come downstairs carrying their suitcases. "I'm going to miss you both so much," she said dabbing her eyes with a tissue.

"Don't worry Mom. It will only be for a week or two," Sage said giving her a hug. Carly hugged her daughter tightly, not wanting to let go. "Will you bring me back something from Germany?" Sage asked. Carly's eyes widened at the request. She hadn't thought about that little detail.

"What would you like?" she asked pulling back to look at her daughter.

"Maybe some clothes or something hand-made."

"I'm sure that can be arranged, sweetie," she said kissing her head.

"Is there anything you would like, Parker?"

"Not really. Just hurry home."

Carly walked over to her son and hugged him fiercely. "I promise to," she said. "And you have to promise me to take lots of pictures of you and Faith at the dance," she said looking him square in the eye.

"Yes Mom, I promise. I'll miss you. Have fun," he added.

"I'm going to try."

"You two need to get going. It's still a school night and Lily's waiting for you. Please behave and I'll come and check in with you before I head to Chicago," Jack said.

Parker and Sage grabbed their coats. Sage gave Carly and Jack one last hug each and followed Parker out the door.

"Drive safe," Jack yelled.

"I love you both!" Carly added as they stood in the doorway and watched Parker back out of the driveway and down the street. Jack put his arms around Carly and held her while she cried quietly, watching the car disappear from view.

They walked back into the house and Carly sat down on the sofa while Jack locked up. She dried her tears and sat there quietly, just thinking. "Are you ok?" Jack asked gently sitting down next to her.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'll be fine. I just hate goodbyes, you know," she said giving him a small smile.

"It's not really goodbye, honey. You're just going to be gone for a couple of weeks at most. It'll go by just like that," he said snapping his fingers.

"I wish you were right, but I just don't think so. Won't you please reconsider me staying here," she pleaded. She turned to look at him, searching his face for a change of heart. Tears welled in her eyes as she tried to blink them away.

He hated making her cry. He brushed the hair back from her face and kissed her cheeks. "I don't want you to go, baby." He rested his forehead against hers. "But Carly, if something were to happen to you… I'd never be able to forgive myself." He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight.

"That's exactly how I feel," she said hugging him back. "What if something happens to you? What if you're hurt and you need me and I'm not there? And you…," she stopped, not wanting to finish the thought out loud. "How could I live with that? It would kill me." Tears fell down her cheeks soaking into Jack's shirt. He pulled back and brushed them away and then quickly dabbed at his own eyes.

"Shhh, don't cry Carly. Nothing is going to happen to me, I promise. Daryl is here, the FBI is well aware of what's going on and I have Margo and the guys. I'm going to be just fine. It'd be one thing if you weren't pregnant, but we have the baby to think about."

"I know," Carly said shaking her head and taking a deep breath.

"Why don't you go up and take a bath. It'll give you a chance to relax before bed and give me time to clean up down here. And then… I'll meet you upstairs," Jack said smiling suggestively.

Carly smiled at him and touched his cheek ever so softly. "That sounds wonderful," she whispered.

Jack leaned in and kissed her tenderly on the lips. "Everything is going to be ok. I love you."

"I love you too, G-Man."


	27. Chapter 27

_*Author's Note: This chapter contains sexual content and is for mature readers only._

**Twenty-seven**

Jack finished cleaning up after dinner while Carly was upstairs taking a bath. He put the dishes into the dishwasher and straightened up the dining room. He wanted to make sure tonight was all about them. Tune out the rest of the world for as long as possible. He hoped that the warm water would help relax her and put her mind and heart at ease… at least for a little while.

Once Jack was satisfied with how the downstairs looked he headed upstairs taking them two at a time. He walked into their room to find it still empty and he went to work. He turned the bed down, lit some candles and dimmed the lights. When he was satisfied with that, he turned his attention to his own appearance. He kicked off his shoes and socks, unbuttoned his shirt and discarded it. He walked over to the dresser and pulled out a pair of sleep pants. He loosened the belt on his jeans and slid them and his boxers off, replacing them with the other. He put his things away and with a final glance around the room headed toward the bathroom.

Carly was sitting in the tub, knees bent and feeling very relaxed. The bath had been exactly what she'd needed. Her eyes were closed and it almost looked like she was asleep. However, Carly had heard Jack enter the bedroom and had heard his movements. And now her body could sense him near. She knew he was in the room with her, but she didn't let on.

Jack stood in the doorway mesmerized. She had her hair piled loosely on the top of her head and the water glistened on her skin. She had a soft pink glow about her from the warmth of the water. She looked absolutely beautiful. His heart raced with desire and he felt himself harden with the anticipation of touching her. He wanted nothing more than to lift her out of the tub, toss her on the bed and have his way with her. He steeled himself to that spot and did his best to resist those urges. He wanted to savor this night with her. He stood watching her. His eyes roamed all over starting with her face. They slowly moved down to her delicate shoulders and along her arms to her fingers that dangled in the water. His gazed headed back up those arms to the swell of her breasts. The water played havoc on his mind and body. Moving slightly, it teased him by revealing her nipples one moment only to shield them from him the next. His breathing became more erratic as he fought the desire to ravage her right there.

Carly could sense the increase in his heartbeat from across the room. Or maybe it was her own pounding loudly in her ears. She could feel the heat from his stare - the passion building between them like an electric current. Her lips parted, but she kept her eyes closed enjoying the erotic pleasure of him making love to her with his eyes.

Jack noticed the rapid rise and fall of her breathing and he knew her body was aching for him. Jack walked slowly over to the side of the tub and sank to his knees. He brushed a stray tendril of hair away from her shoulder and bent his head and allowed himself to make contact with her skin. His lips found her shoulder and a bolt shot through him. His hands couldn't resist temptation any further and he grabbed her shoulders and held on.

Carly's body tingled all over at his touch. Her head leaned back of it's own accord. She sighed with pleasure when his lips and tongue slid from her shoulder to her neck. She arched her back slightly, exposing her breasts and nearly undoing Jack in the process.

One of his hands slid down her back and around to cup one of her breasts. She moaned in pleasure and he smiled against her neck as he continued to kiss and nip at her throat. He let his other hand find her knee as he slid it down her calf and back up, only to then slowly slide it down her thigh and under the water. Her breath caught in her throat as his hand inched ever closer to it's destination. His fingers teased her until she called his name. He slid a long finger slowly inside only to withdraw it once again, repeating the motion over and over again. Wanting to try and take things slowly Jack began to pull away, but Carly reached down and held Jack's hand between her thighs, guiding his movements. He growled his pleasure and his mouth sought hers. She turned her head, lips parted and ready for him. His tongue found hers, plunging into her, wanting to taste all of her. His fingers and tongue matched their rhythm and he felt her body shudder dangerously close to it's release. Her grip on his hand loosened and he slowly slid it up her hip and along the side of her other breast. He broke the kiss, breathing heavy and looked at her. Her eyes opened and she met his gaze with a ferocious desire. "I want you Jack… I need you," she breathed. He smiled and reached for towel and then helped her up and out of the tub.

Slowly and gently, starting at her feet he dried her off. It was one of the most sensuous things Carly had ever experienced. His hands were warm and soft and his lips kissed each newly dried spot working his way up her body. When he reached her breasts, Jack couldn't help but suckle each one tenderly causing Carly to sway on her feet. He stood up straight and walked around behind her and dried her back, steadying her as he did. As he toweled off her shoulders and neck, he pulled her back against him. She could feel the rock hard length of him pressed against her and it only increased her desire. He rubbed himself against her as she reached behind her to thread her fingers in his hair. "Ah… Carly," he whispered in her ear sending shivers down her back. He spun her around gently and picked her up and carried her to the bedroom, kissing her the whole way.

Jack stopped at the side of the bed and slowly set Carly's feet on the floor savoring the feel of her warm skin rubbing against his until she stood on her own. He cupped her face and brought his mouth to hers needing to taste her again. Her hands instinctively slid from his broad shoulders down his back to rest on his hips and pulled him closer. She broke the kiss to climb up on the bed pulling him with her. She sat on the edge of the bed letting her hands slip inside his pants and eased them off slowly. One hand sliding down his hip to his thigh, the other down his back and over his butt where she gave a playful squeeze. Breathing hard with pent up desire, Jack dove towards her neck - one hand behind her head, the other fondling her breast. She sucked in a breath as he teased her nipple with his thumb, eliciting a moan from him at her body's response. He kicked off the pants as they slid to the floor and her hand at his thigh moved up across his abs and down. Jack stiffened as Carly reached down and stroked him. His patience was nearing it's limits, but he fought against his need for her - wanting the night to never end. She teased him mercilessly… stroking, rubbing, squeezing until she knew he wouldn't be able to wait any longer. She eased back on the bed and he followed hungrily. He lay over her and pushed her legs apart with his thigh and settled himself there just inches from her. Carly twisted and arched and begged Jack to make them one, but he had other ideas. He leaned down and suckled at one breast and teased the other with his hand. He rubbed his hard length against her wet entrance. She arched her hips attempting to feel him inside her. He looked up into her face, pushing himself higher. He entered her ever so slightly and withdrew, only to tease her once more. "Is this what you want?" His voice was hoarse with passion. He entered again a bit farther this time and slowly withdrew once again.

"Please Jack," Carly panted grabbing at his arms, his shoulders, his back. Anything to feel him completely. Jack's need of her took over and he drove himself into her, filling her. Carly cried out in pure bliss at finally achieving her goal. Jack held still for a moment, relishing the sensation of their bodies joining. He kissed her as he began to make love to her slowly. Carly wrapped her legs around him ensuring he remained firmly where she wanted him. She caressed his back, letting her hands wind their way up to his shoulders and neck.

Jack continued his assault on her touching and kissing her everywhere. He began to pump faster, his patience nearing the breaking point. He kissed her neck, his warm breath heavy against her skin. "Carly," he moaned driving himself harder and deeper. Carly arched her back pressing herself against him, needing to feel all of him.

"Yes Jack," she cried. Carly met him thrust for thrust until they both reached their release. They laid there, still fused together, allowing their bodies to relax. Jack reached up and brushed her cheek and softly kissed her lips.

"God, I love you," he said looking into her eyes.

She smiled. "And I love you," she whispered back. She took a deep and satisfied breath. "That was incredible. Thank you."

"Believe me, the pleasure was mine," he laughed softly kissing her neck. The sensation sent goosebumps racing all over her. She shivered. "Are you cold?" he asked looking back up into her face. He moved off of her and grabbed the sheets and pulled them up and over them. He pulled her against him and he kissed her cheek.

"No. It's just you…" she said raising an eyebrow and smiling. "You've always had the right touch with me. From that first kiss back in Montana until forever - it's always been you." She reached up to brush his cheek with her fingers.

He kissed her again. "We were made for each other, Carly. I'm just sorry that we wasted so many years along the way. Or should I say _I_ wasted too many years along the way. But I promise you that I will never take what we have for granted again. I will never let you go again… promise."

Carly looked into his eyes and was overwhelmed by the love she saw shining through them. She kissed him back. "Jack… it wasn't just you that made mistakes. We're both to blame. But that's over now. It's you and me forever, remember," she said grinning.

"You and me forever," he whispered back.


	28. Chapter 28

Twenty-eight

Carly stood in the middle of her bedroom, hands on hips, stalling. She had been dreading this morning. Today she was going to Germany… or so Jack, the kids and everyone else thought. Well, everyone else but her and Rosanna. She hated lying to Jack. She had always hated it, but sometimes it was necessary. This was one of those times. She knew Jack would be furious. However, as long as nothing went wrong, he wouldn't be too angry and would hopefully forgive her because Carly did plan on telling him the truth upon Rosanna's return. Carly had already convinced Rosanna to shorten her trip. A majority of what Rosanna had needed to get done while in Germany had already been started. Most of her personal things had been packed up and were awaiting further instructions. So once Rosanna was there, her attention could be focused on the business side of things and getting it set up so that she could now work from Oakdale a majority of the time.

Jack walked into the room carrying two mugs. A cup of tea for Carly and coffee for himself. He stood in the doorway and watched his wife. She had her back to him and her hands firmly planted on her hips. She was staring at the half-packed suitcase with a glare that would cause the fiercest of drill sergeants to pause. "It's not the suitcase's fault," Jack said smiling as he walked towards her. Carly whipped around and focused her attention on her husband. He handed her the tea which she took willingly. She took a sip and let the warm liquid soothe her nerves.

"I realize the suitcase is not to blame," Carly began.

Jack cut her off knowing exactly where she was headed. "We've been over this Carly. Julia has already gotten into the house once. I'm not going to give her another opportunity to do that again. Wasn't Sage getting poisoned enough? I won't let her near you or the baby or the kids."

"But we could hire a bodyguard or two even. Rosanna offered to do that… I don't see why we couldn't take her up on that offer."

"Carly we've been over this. We know Julia is capable of anything. I'm not sure a bodyguard or two would be able to stop her if she was determined enough. I'm not willing to take that risk. You and the kids are everything to me. You're my whole life." He looked down at her as he pulled her against him with one arm. He kissed the side of her head, "I love you too much to risk loosing you. Now, we need to get you over to Rosanna's or else I'm going to end up driving you to the airport myself."

That was the last thing Carly wanted. "Alright, alright. Go get my makeup bag out of the bathroom for me and I'll finish up in here," she said setting the cup down on the nightstand.

She and Jack finished up in about 20 minutes and were heading downstairs on their way to Rosanna's. Carly grabbed her coat and her purse and took one more glance around the room. She wasn't really leaving she told herself, but she couldn't help the nagging feeling in the back of her mind that this was the last time she'd be here for awhile.

"You'll be back before you know it," Jack said setting down the luggage and wrapping his arms around her, hugging her from behind.

"You're right," she said giving a weak smile.

"You are going to have so much fun with Rosanna that you won't be ready to come home," he teased.

"I sincerely doubt that," she said flatly.

"Well, if you enjoyed my saying goodbye last night… I'll make sure you enjoy your homecoming even more," he whispered wickedly in her ear before kissing her neck.

Carly giggled and turned around to face him. "Now that's something to look forward to," she said softly leaning up to kiss him.

Jack reluctantly pulled back and looked at his wife's beautiful face. She slowly opened her vivid blue eyes and looked back at him. He let his gaze roam all over her face memorizing every detail. He lifted a hand and gently cupped her face and let his thumb graze her bottom lip. God he loved that mouth.

Carly watched him as he studied her and she saw his mouth part and she could feel the electricity between them building. The subtle touches always had a way of doing that. They always had. Jack, unable to resist, reached up and with both hands pulled her to him for another kiss. He kissed her slowly enjoying every moment until he knew he had to stop.

"We should go now," he said huskily. "You are much too distracting for your own good."

Carly smiled playfully. "Are you sure you don't want to go upstairs and say _goodbye_ again," she said raising an eyebrow at him.

Jack laughed. "I would love nothing more than to carry you upstairs, lock the door and never leave our room again. However, you have a plane to catch and I have a job to do. Hey, I had a though. How about once the baby is born and you feel up to it, what do you say just you and I getting away for a long weekend? We'll go somewhere quiet, order dinner in and never leave the bedroom the entire time. How does that sound?"

"Do you mean it? Really? Oh Jack, I would absolutely love it! You know, we've never had a real honeymoon."

"Then I'll set it up. You just let me know when you want to go and I'll take care of everything else."

"Deal," she said sealing it with a kiss. "I'm so excited, I can't wait! So where are we going to go?"

Jack laughed. "Remember, I said after the baby is born and you're feeling up to it. It'll be a couple of months, Carly."

"I know, I know. I just can't believe it. Time away… just by ourselves. I can't wait."

"Well, we'd better get going. We'll have plenty of time to plan our trip later. Right now we need to get you to the Lakeview before Rosanna leaves without you," Jack said.

"And that would be a real shame," she said dryly as she headed toward the door.

Jack laughed. He picked up the luggage, followed behind her, locking the door and setting the alarm.

A short time later, Jack and Carly were walking down the hall toward Rosanna's room. They reached the door and were about to knock when the door suddenly opened and Daryl nearly knocked them over. He had his jacket and tie slung over an arm. Jack noticed immediately that it was the same suit he'd worn yesterday to work.

"Morning Daryl," Carly said smiling.

"Good morning. I'm sorry I didn't mean to run into you. I didn't realize you two were out here."

"We just got here," Jack said giving him a knowing look.

"Uh… yeah, I just came to say goodbye to Rosanna. I didn't know if I'd still be here in Oakdale when she got back or not, so…" he trailed off.

"Well that was very nice," Carly said. "I do hope that you plan on coming to visit every once in awhile once you head back to Washington."

"Yeah. That would be nice," Daryl agreed. "I'll see you at the station later Jack?"

"Yes, I'll be there."

"Have a good trip Carly. It was really nice to finally meet you and the kids," Daryl said giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"Thank you," she said.

"Alright, so I'll see you later Jack."

"Yup," Jack said nodding his head. Carly headed into Rosanna's room. Jack and Daryl exchanged a final look before Jack followed Carly into the room.

Rosanna was in the bathroom finishing her hair and makeup before leaving. Carly knocked softly before entering. "Did you forget something Daryl?" Rosanna said smiling as she turned around. The smile was replaced by an instant blush when Rosanna saw Carly standing in the doorway.

"Sorry to disappoint, but Daryl already left," Carly said giving her sister a good long look.

"Oh. Yes, well, he uh… just stopped by this morning before work to say goodbye," Rosanna stammered as she turned around to finish getting ready.

"This morning, huh? It's interesting that he wasn't wearing his tie when he left," Carly replied grinning.

"Oh shut up," Rosanna glared at Carly in the mirror.

"So… am I going to get any details?"

"Not when you look so smug, you won't," Rosanna answered.

"Are you ladies just about ready?" Jack called from the other room.

"Jack is here too?" Rosanna whined looking at Carly. "He saw Daryl leave?"

"Yes, Daryl nearly knocked us over as he was leaving. Perfect timing, really."

"Yeah… perfect," Rosanna closed her eyes. "Do you think Jack knows _something _happened?"

"So _something_ did happen?" Carly teased.

"Carly you know damn well _something_ did. Does Jack suspect?"

"He's a detective, Rosanna," Carly said dryly. Of course he knows something happened.

"That's just great," Rosanna said shaking her head.

"So are you going to share any juicy details?" Carly asked.

"Not with Jack around to hear."

"Later then…" Carly said walking back out to the other room.

Jack sat in one of the chairs waiting for his wife and her sister. When they both came out of the bathroom, he stood up. "Did you want me to pack anything down to your car Rosanna?" he offered. "I could take Carly's luggage and anything you have that's ready to go."

"Oh thank you Jack, but no. I've hired a car to drive us to the airport. I didn't want to leave my own car there the whole time. They'll take care of the luggage for us."

"Alright. Well then, I guess I should probably head to the station." He looked at Carly.

"I'll just grab a few more things out of the bathroom," Rosanna said excusing herself.

Once Rosanna had left the room Carly walked over to Jack and hugged him tightly. "I'm really going to miss you," she said quietly.

"I'm going to miss you too. Every moment of every day. Will you call me when you get in?" Jack asked hugging her back.

"I'll call tonight, I promise." Carly tilted her head to look at him. "Please be careful. I don't want anything happening to you G-Man."

"Always," he said smiling back. "Have a safe trip… and have fun. That's an order."

"Yes sir," she said kissing him. Jack kissed her back holding her close, not wanting to let go. Her mouth parted and her tongue flicked along his lower lip eliciting a moan from Jack. She wrapped her hands around his neck threading her fingers through his hair.

Rosanna stood in the doorway and cleared her throat, in an attempt to break it up. Jack and Carly broke apart, breathing heavy. Jack brushed a strand of hair back from Carly's face and looked into her eyes.

"I should probably go," he said quietly.

Carly didn't want him to go, she hugged him tightly. "Not yet," she whispered.

Jack pulled back to get a better look at her. "What's wrong, sweetheart?"

"I need… I… I'm just going to miss you," she finished fighting back the tears. She'd almost come clean right there.

"Me too, baby." Jack kissed her head once more. "You ladies need to get going or you'll miss your flight and I need to get to the station." Jack hugged her again and gave her one last kiss on the mouth before walking toward the door. He opened it up and turned around. "Thank you, Rosanna. Please take care of her," he said his eyes never leaving Carly's.

"You have my word Jack," Rosanna replied.

Carly watched him the entire time. " I love you," she mouthed to him as a tear fell down her cheek.

Jack flashed her a grin that sent her heart racing. "I love you too," he mouthed back. He blew a kiss to her and slowly closed the door.

Rosanna gave Carly a moment to collect herself before she spoke. "We need to go over everything one more time before I leave," she said.

Carly took a deep breath and put on a business face. "Yes we should. But first things first… you need to tell me exactly what happened here last night between you and Daryl."

Rosanna blushed and turned to casually straighten things on the dresser. "There's really nothing to tell. Daryl came over. We had dinner. He left."

"This morning… he left this morning, Rosanna," Carly said coming over to her and spinning her around. "This is me you're talking to. You know I'm not going to drop this until I hear every little detail."

"Well, I'm not going to share every little detail," Rosanna said folding her arms. She couldn't help but keep from smiling though, as she said it.

Carly was thrilled for Rosanna. "Of course I don't want to know _every detail_," she said.

"Well, I'm sure you and Jack said goodbye last night… Daryl and I did too."

Carly thought about her night with Jack. Her thoughts drifted as she got lost in the memory.

"Hello? Carly?" Rosanna said attempting to get her attention. Carly snapped back to the present. "Thinking about last night?" Rosanna asked. "Care to share?"

"Absolutely not," Carly blushed.

"Exactly," Rosanna countered.

"It's not the same thing. Jack and I are married. It's obvious we would have spent the night together. However, you and Daryl aren't and hadn't as far as I know before last night. I just want to know how it came about," Carly reasoned.

"Well, Daryl came to my room to ask me to dinner. I was busy packing and getting ready for my trip and I declined. But, then I asked him if he wanted to have dinner here with me in my room instead," she explained.

Carly just smiled. "Good for you. Way to take charge of the situation… let him know what you want."

"It wasn't like that Carly. I didn't ask him to stay in the hopes that he'd stay the night." Carly just looked at her sister. Rosanna felt herself blush. "Oh alright… maybe I hoped he'd stay," she admitted.

Carly laughed. "It's ok Rosanna. You both are responsible adults and free to do what you want." She thought for a moment and couldn't help but add, "Was it good?"

Rosanna gasped but couldn't help but giggle. "It was wonderful," she said smiling.

"I'm so happy for you. I just knew you two would hit it off. Daryl is a great guy and you deserve someone like that, Rosanna."

"Well, it was just the one time. He'll probably be gone before I get back. Especially if they catch Julia," she said softly.

"There's nothing saying that you can't have a successful long-distance relationship. Besides, who knows what the future holds," Carly suggested.

"I'm not going to get my hopes up. That's always backfired and I wind up disappointed and alone. Though, he did ask me to call him once we arrived and he did say that he hoped to see me again," she said wistfully.

"There you see. He wants more than just the one night. I think that's sweet."

"We'll see. Once he gets back to Washington, he'll be back with the bureau. Things happen. Life happens. I refuse to allow myself to want anything more."

Carly sighed. She knew Rosanna had been burned too many times in the past. Perhaps while she was cooped up here she'd use that time to do what she could to help Rosanna and Daryl.

Rosanna sat down and pulled out a list of things to go over before she left. She wanted to make sure they had their stories straight. Carly sat down and they went over everything in fine detail.

"Now, I will call you immediately once I'm in Germany. That way you can call and let Jack know you've arrived. I will also let you know how quickly I can arrange to come back to Oakdale, so that you can break the news to Jack that the trip has been cut short. You know he won't be happy about that," Rosanna told her.

"Yes, I know. He'll be upset and try and get me to extend our stay," Carly acknowledged. "He'll just have to deal with it."

"You know… since I'm cutting my trip short anyway - you could just come with me," she reasoned.

"We've been over this. I'm not leaving Oakdale. I refuse to allow Julia to run me out of town. She wants Jack and I'm not going to let her have him."

"Ok, I just thought I'd offer again. See if you changed your mind. Obviously, that's not the case," Rosanna stated standing up. The phone in the room rang and Rosanna walked over to answer it.

"Yes… Thank you. I'll be right down." She hung up the phone. "The driver is here and waiting downstairs. Now, you're sure about this. You're going to be alright here in the hotel the entire time?"

"I'll be fine. Bored out of my mind, but fine," Carly said smiling. "Don't worry about me. Just hurry up with what you need to do and get back as quickly as you can."

"Of course I'm going to worry about you. You're my sister and that maniac is wandering around out there. As far as the hotel is concerned, I'm not leaving. I didn't want them to question why food was still being delivered to the room if I'm gone."

"Oh good thinking. I hadn't thought about that," Cary said. That reminded her of the other little detail she needed to take care of. "Before I forget, could you pick up some clothes and a little souvenir thing for Parker, Sage and JJ? Sage asked me to bring something home for her last night. I hadn't even thought about that little detail."

"Yes, I'll get the kids something. Anything else?"

"No. I think that's it. Have a safe trip and thank you for everything," Carly said giving her a hug and kiss before walking her to the door.

"Be safe. And don't even think of leaving until I get back," Rosanna warned her as she picked up her suitcase and giving her a final kiss before leaving.

"I'll be here in the hotel the entire time. What could possibly go wrong?" Carly said giving her sister a smile.


	29. Chapter 29

**Twenty- nine**

Carly sat on the bed of the hotel staring out the window. She was waiting for Rosanna's call. Waiting to hear her sister finally made it to Germany so she could call and talk with Jack. It was dark and it was raining. The city lights of Oakdale twinkled through the rain splashed window. She sat and watched the water collect and trickle down the windowpane. She couldn't recall a time that she was more bored out of her mind than right here, right now. The first several hours had been fine. She'd unpacked her suitcase and settled into the suite that would be her home for the next week or so. She'd ordered lunch delivered to the room, under the guise of being Rosanna, and enjoyed the luxury of that. All of this took up a brief part of her day. She watched a little television, hoping to find something interesting, but no luck. She then had sifted through all the magazines Jack had got for her but that only kept her occupied for a short time. She finally ended up taking a nap for a few hours which helped pass some of the time. Carly hadn't fully appreciated how much all the little things in life kept her busy, kept her going until she no longer had them. The basic things - going to the store, doing the laundry, getting the nursery ready, activities with the kids, lunch with Jack… all these things made up her daily life. She knew she would miss those things… she just didn't know how much until now.

She continued to look out the window. Rosanna's room happened to face in the direction of Milltown and she sat and wondered what Jack was doing right at that moment. Was he still at the station, working on finding Julia? Had he called it a night and headed home, to the empty house? Was he thinking about her and missing her as much as she missed him? Carly sighed heavily and closed her eyes. How in the world was she going to survive this if she couldn't even make it a whole day cooped up in this room? Perhaps she should have gone with Rosanna. She shook her head and decided to take a bath, hoping the warm water would calm her down and soothe her nerves. She walked into the bathroom and started running the water when her phone rang. She hurried over to it and with relief saw that it was Rosanna.

"Oh Rosanna… you have no idea how happy I am to hear from you!" she said in relief.

"Well, that's good. How are you doing? Everything ok?"

"I'm good. Bored, but good. How was your flight?"

Rosanna laughed. "Long. You're already bored? You have a week that you have to deal with this. Are you going to be able to handle that?"

"Well, I'm counting on you to finish up there early and get back to Oakdale so I can get out of here as soon as possible."

"Well, I'm certainly going to try. I'll know once I get into the office tomorrow. Or should I say later today. It's almost 2AM here. I'm going to go get settled and I'll call you tomorrow. Hopefully with good news."

"Thank you so much for everything, Rosanna."

"You're very welcome. Be safe… I love you."

"I love you too. Talk to you tomorrow," Carly said hanging up the phone. She smiled and gave a sigh of relief. Now she could finally call and talk to Jack.

Rosanna hung up the phone and took off her shoes. She grabbed a bottled water and headed upstairs to her room. She was exhausted but there was one more phone call she needed to make before she climbed into bed. She dialed and waited.

"This is Daryl…"

"Hi," Rosanna said softly.

"Hey," Daryl smiled upon hearing her voice. "I'm glad you called. I thought about you today."

"You did?" she asked, surprise in her voice.

"Of course I did. You made it ok. No problems?"

"Yes, I'm here and exhausted. I'm about to head to bed, but I wanted to call you first."

"I'm flattered. And Carly?"

"Oh yes, she's here too, of course. I'm sure she's talking to Jack as we speak." Hating the fact that she was lying to him, Rosanna quickly changed the subject. "Are you still at work?"

"No, I'm actually back at the Lakeview having dinner in the lounge… wishing I had some company."

Rosanna smiled. "Well, perhaps when I get back and if you're still in Oakdale we can do something about that."

"That sounds great. I'll make sure it happens."

During this conversation and unbeknownst to Daryl, Craig had walked into the lounge and taken a seat at the bar next to him. This was obviously a personal call and Craig and no qualms about listening in. Daryl had proven to be a rival for Rosanna's attention. Any information Craig obtained could only be a good thing.

"Well, I should probably let you get to bed. I know it's late there," Daryl said. "Thank you for calling me. I wasn't sure if you would or not. Though I'd hoped you might."

"I told you that I would," she said quietly.

"I know. I just wasn't sure if you were just being polite or if you actually meant it."

"Well, now you know."

"Yes. Now I know." Daryl paused for a moment, wanting to say more but decided against it. Everything was happening so fast and he didn't know what the future held. For the first time in a long time, he was beginning to question what he really wanted out of life. However, having that kind of conversation over the phone was not going to happen. "Goodnight Rosanna. Sleep well."

"Goodnight. And be careful," she added.

Daryl smiled at her concern. "I will. Talk to you soon," he promised.

"I'd like that very much," she said smiling. "Bye."

"Bye," he said ending the call. He smiled as he motioned to the bartender.

Craig sat there stunned. Rosanna had obviously left town and she hadn't bothered to let him know. What was more, this Jack Snyder clone was trying to weasel his way into Rosanna's life. Well, Craig certainly wasn't going to loose another woman to someone like that again.

Jack sat at his desk going over surveillance tapes and paperwork. He looked at his watch. It was nearly 7pm and Carly's plane should have landed by now. Perhaps they stopped to get a bite to eat. He reached over and picked up her picture off his desk. He gazed into the pair of blue eyes and smiled. He missed her like crazy and it had only been part of a day. He didn't know how he was going to survive a couple of weeks. His thumb absentmindedly brushed across her mouth. He sighed and placed her photo back on the desk and turned his attention back to the task at hand. There hadn't been any recent sightings of Julia and Jack was worried that perhaps the trail had gone cold. It had been about a week since the night he believed Julia had been outside the house. He thought perhaps that she had somehow learned that Carly was headed out of town and had changed her plans. However, she hadn't been sighted at any of the airports, train stations or bus terminals so he had to assume that she was still near Oakdale.

Jack had called Lily's and spoken with Parker and Sage earlier in the evening. Sage and Natalie had shut themselves up in Natalie's room, much to the disappointment of Ethan. However, Parker had taken pity on him and took him outside to play ball. Sage had run to the phone when she'd heard her dad was calling. She told him about her day at school and told him she loved him. He had promised to come by and see tomorrow. Parker, knowing that something more was going on besides the story he'd been told decided not to ask any questions and let his parents handle it. Though he did remind his dad to be careful. Lily had got back on the phone and assured him that everything was fine and he had nothing to worry about. Though Jack felt the kids being with Lily was the safest place for them at this point, he still hadn't taken any chances and had placed an unmarked patrol car on duty there.

Jack sat up straight and twisted his head and arched his back. He was getting stiff sitting there going over everything. He decided that there really wasn't anything more he could do tonight and began to straighten up his desk. He picked up his coffee mug and chugged the last dregs of cold coffee before putting on his coat. He was headed for the door when his phone went off. He grabbed it and check the caller ID - it was Carly. He smiled and answered it as he turned around and headed toward the interrogation room for privacy.

"Hey beautiful. I've been waiting for your call," he said sweetly.

"Hi G-Man. Do you have any idea how much I miss you?"

"I think I have a pretty good idea," he said laughing. "I've been thinking about you all day."

"Well, we're quite a pair because I've been thinking about you too."

"How are you feeling? Are you and the baby ok?"

"Yes, we're just fine. Lonely, but fine."

"Lonely? Isn't Rosanna with you?" Jack asked.

"I meant, lonely without you," Carly explained. I'm at Rosanna's, in bed and I'm lonely without you here beside me," she said softly… and technically not lying she told herself.

"Yeah, our bed is going to feel pretty empty tonight without you."

"I knew I'd have a hard time sleeping without you, so I decided to bring one of your shirts with me to wear to bed. You know, so I'd have something of you here with me," she said with just a hint huskiness in her voice.

"Oh really?" he said, his voice low. The thought of Carly in one of his shirts made his pulse race. Images of her in various shirts of his flashed through his mind.

"It smells like you," she whispered.

"Which shirt are you wearing?" he asked, his voice thick with desire.

"Your navy blue dress shirt. It comes to about mid-thigh and the top 4 buttons are undone," she said breathlessly.

Jack closed his eyes as he imagined slowly undoing the rest of those buttons with his teeth as his hands explored her body. His groin tightened. He swallowed hard and took a deep breath. "Are you trying to torture me, Carly?" he groaned.

"I don't know what you're talking about?" she said innocently.

"If you keep talking like that and putting images in my head, I just may end up on the next flight to Germany," he said in all seriousness.

Carly laughed. "Alright, I won't tease you any more. But I do miss you terribly and I really am wearing one of your shirts."

"I miss you too, baby. Just promise me that you'll wear that shirt the night you come home."

"It's a deal," she said smiling. "Speaking of coming home…," she paused anticipating his reaction to this tidbit of news. "Rosanna is hoping to get everything done quickly. Depending on how things go tomorrow, she said that she may not need to stay for as long as she thought."

Jack closed his eyes and rubbed his temple in frustration. "Carly… You know I need time to find and catch Julia. You need to be away from here so I can do that without having to worry about your safety. I thought you understood that?" his voice getting louder in irritation.

"I know what you said, Jack. But, you also know that I didn't want to leave in the first place. I agreed to all this because it was what you wanted. If Rosanna doesn't need to be in Germany for as long as originally planned, I'm not going to convince her to stay." Jack gave a frustrated sigh. He knew it was pointless to have this disagreement over the phone. They were never going to agree.

"Besides, I think Rosanna wants to return to Oakdale before Daryl returns to Washington," she added hoping that would help.

"Regardless, please call and let me know if the plans change," he conceded.

"Don't worry I will."

"I mean it Carly. Call me as soon as you know that way I can make arrangements," Jack pleaded.

"I promise," she said seriously.

"I suppose I should let you get to bed. It's pretty late and you must be tired from the flight," he said softly.

"Yes, I suppose," she said.

Jack could hear the sadness in her voice. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Jack. Really! I just miss being home with you and the kids. How are they by the way?"

"They're having a good time at Lily's. I told Sage that I'd stop by and see them tomorrow."

"Tell them that I'll call tomorrow night to talk to them."

"I will," he promised.

"And tell them I love them and give them a hug from me," she added.

"You got it."

"I love you, Jack."

"I love you too, Carly. Sweet dreams," he whispered.

"Of you," she said quietly. "Bye."

_Meanwhile… _

Across town, Julia sits at the small table in her motel room. She has various pieces of this and that scattered across the table. She's very focused and determined. She finishes up the last few adjustments and sets the object down, pleased by what she accomplished. She stands up and picks up the left over parts and decides to keep them for use later. She packs them in a box and puts it under the bed. Returning to the table, she picks up her check list and crosses off the top item. As she sits back down she looks ahead at the second task on her list. _Daryl Sullivan_… she grins wickedly.


	30. Chapter 30

Thirty

It had been almost a week since Carly had gone to Germany with Rosanna and Jack was no closer to locating Julia than he was before she left. To make matters worse, Carly had called and informed him that they would be cutting their trip short. Rosanna apparently didn't have as much paperwork to deal with as she'd thought and the company was helping her get her personal items ready for shipping, so they would be coming home almost a full week earlier than originally planned. Jack had not been thrilled by this news. He was already stressed out about Julia to begin with. Having the added pressure of less time to try and take care of the situation was not helping. The good news was that Carly would be back in Oakdale. While Jack had felt that having her out of harms way would be the best thing, there was something to be said for her being here with him. He missed her like crazy and wasn't getting much sleep. Crawling into their empty, cold bed alone every night had been hell. His life with her, at this moment, was absolutely perfect. The thought of something or someone disrupting that made him angry and so here it was Friday morning that he sat in Java, drinking a cappuccino and waiting for Daryl to show up. They were going to go back to some of the inconspicuous motels in town to check back in to see if anyone had seen a woman matching any of Julia's last known descriptions.

_At the Lakeview…_

Craig was in the lounge finishing up his breakfast with Johnny when a couple of the waiters stopped near their table. One was pushing a room service cart all set to be delivered upstairs.

"Hey Mark, could you take this order up to Ms. Cabot's suite for me? They need some help with the banquet in the main ballroom."

"Sure not a problem," the other waiter replied. He took the cart and headed for the elevators.

Craig smiled to himself. Rosanna was back in town. As soon as he dropped off Johnny at school, he'd stop by and check in on her. He hadn't seen her before now, so she must have just got back into town. He'd seen Daryl last night. He'd been dining alone, so Craig had assumed Rosanna was still out of town. Perhaps she was back and things weren't as serious as Craig as thought between the two of them. Craig looked at Johnny.

"Are you all ready to go, buddy? Daddy has some things to take care of so let's get you to school, shall we," Craig said getting up from his chair. Johnny got down and grabbed his coat and backpack hanging on the back of the chair. Craig helped him with his coat as they made their way to the parking garage.

Daryl stood in the elevator as it made it's way down to the garage. He was on the phone with Jack, letting him know he was running a bit late.

"Sorry about that Jack. I was on a conference call with my supervisor and it ran a little longer than I thought." The elevator stopped at the lobby and opened to allow more passengers on. Craig and his son stepped into the elevator. Craig stopped short when he and Daryl made eye contact. Unspoken comments passed between them as Craig moved to stand near Johnny.

"I'm on my way now Jack. I'll see you shortly," Daryl said hanging up the phone. "Good morning," he said looking at Craig and then directing his attention to Johnny said, "… and who's this little guy?"

"This is my son Johnny," Craig said not fond of making small talk and left it at that.

"Well, my name is Daryl," he said extending his hand out to Johnny and smiling. Johnny smiled and shook Daryl's hand. "It's nice to meet you," Daryl said.

Craig moved Johnny to his other side as soon as the handshake ended. As was custom with Craig, he was feeling very proprietary. Craig decided to test his theory about Rosanna and Daryl. "So have you seen Rosanna lately?"

"She's out of town at the moment," Daryl replied.

"Dinners must be lonely for you," Craig said snidely.

"Actually, for the most part I've been eating at the station while I work, if you must know," Daryl indulged him.

"Working on a big case?"

"Just a case, nothing big," he said with a shrug of his shoulders.

"Well, it must be fairly important for you to be sticking around. If it was nothing big, I'm sure Oakdale's finest would be able to handle it themselves."

"I'm just consulting."

"It must be nice seeing your old pal, Jack again."

"Yes, it's been very nice. But I didn't realize that my daily routine occupied so much of your thoughts, Craig."

"I always make it my business to know about the people in the lives of those I care about," he explained.

"Ahhh, we're talking about Rosanna then," Daryl deduced.

"You are the new guy in town. You're like a new toy. Very appealing at the beginning. But once the novelty wears off, you'll be tossed aside. Believe it. Take it from me. I've known Rosanna long enough. I know her history. I've watched her do it."

"Is that what happened to you Craig? Are you speaking from first hand experience?"

"Rosanna and I have a special relationship. We understand each other. She knows who I am and I know who she is. Rosanna has just met you and doesn't know the first thing about who you really are. She can't make an informed decision about you and does so based on emotions. That'll wear off soon enough."

"If Rosanna wants to know something, she knows she can ask me. Besides, I've already told her quite a bit about me. I don't keep secrets. Believe me Craig, you don't need to worry about Rosanna."

"So you plan on seeing her again when she gets back," Craig asked.

"When she gets back and if she wants to see me… is none of your business."

The elevator doors opened and allowed them access to the garage. Craig grabbed Johnny's hand and headed toward his car, but not before glaring at Daryl.

"Have a good day at school Johnny," Daryl called out. Johnny turned around and waved at Daryl before getting a tug from Craig to turn around and keep walking. Daryl sat there and shook his head as he watched Craig walk away. "Jackass," he muttered under his breath. He turned in the opposite direction and headed toward his car.

Upstairs in one of the suites, Carly answered the knock at the door. Her breakfast had arrived and just in time. She was starving. The waiter carried her tray in and set it down on the table. Carly gave him a tip and closed the door behind him. Her omelet, toast and bacon smelled scrumptious. She sat down and took a bite, enjoying it thoroughly. The week had moved at a snail's pace and she was bouncing off the walls. At one time in her life, Carly would have enjoyed this. Being waited on day and night, for the most part. Things had changed though. She missed her own home, her own bed… her own husband and kids. There was also a time in her life where she'd wanted what Rosanna had. Since she'd had time to think (and think and think some more) she realized how fortunate she was. She had a husband and kids and a life full of love. Yes, there'd been some rocky patches along the way. But she and Jack had always worked their way back to each other. And this time it was permanent. Nothing and no one would come between them again. She knew that Jack would be furious with her when he found out she never left Oakdale. But she also knew that despite that, he would understand and he would forgive her. They'd both come to a point in their lives where they both realized that no matter what happened they would make through in one piece… together.

_Meanwhile, back at Java…_

Jack was finishing his cappuccino when Daryl showed up.

"Sorry about that Jack," Daryl apologized. "I didn't mean to keep you waiting."

"It's ok. I've been going over the list again of all the motels we checked out before. I've highlighted the ones where we never got a chance to speak with the manager. I think we should hit those first and then check back in with the others again."

"Are you thinking that she might be moving locations?"

"I wouldn't put it past her. If she thought we were on to her, she might feel the need to change locations to keep us off her trail." Jack stopped and looked at Daryl. He was fiddling with the corner edge of the list Jack had handed him. Jack waited a moment before speaking again. "Is everything ok?" he asked.

"Huh?"

"Are you alright? You're clearly distracted. Look, if you're not up to helping me today, I'll get someone else to come along." Jack could feel the anger simmering at the surface. "My week is almost up. I need to find Julia before Carly comes home and Julia sets her sights on her."

"I'm sorry Jack. Of course I'm up to it. I had an encounter on the way here and it just kind of set me off. I promise from this moment on, my mind will be completely focused on the task at hand. Finding Julia and getting her off the streets so that she can't harm you, Carly or the kids ever again."

Jack sighed. "You don't have to apologize. I'm just stressing out. With Carly and Rosanna heading back sooner than originally planned, I'm really feeling the pressure to get this whole thing sorted out and taken care of. I didn't mean to bite your head off."

"Don't worry about it. I understand. Let me just grab a latte before we head out, alright?"

"Sure." Jack and Daryl got up from the table and went to get in line at the espresso counter. "So who got you all out of sorts this morning? Was it because of your call with your supervisor? I hope my case with Julia isn't causing problems for you. Because if it is, just say so and I can find someone else to help me out," Jack said concerned.

"No. It's not work related. My boss is fine with me out here. I told you that."

"Then what was it?"

"It wasn't an it. It was a who," Daryl said rolling his eyes.

Realization dawned on Jack's face. There was only one man in Oakdale that could irritate the living hell out of someone like that… Craig.

_Back at the Lakeview…_

Craig straightened his tie as he walked down the hall carrying two dozen red roses. He stopped at the door and knocked. No answer. He glanced down and noticed the tray outside the door with the empty food platter. Obviously she was in there. He knocked again. Still no answer came. He decided to take a different approach. "Rosanna. I know you're in there. I'm not going anywhere until you open the door and let me in," he said loud enough for her to hear him.

On the other side of the door, stood Carly. Hands on her hips swearing to herself. What the hell was she going to do? Not let him in? If she did that, there was no doubt in her mind that he would do exactly as he threatened. He wouldn't leave until he was forced to and she didn't need that kind of extra attention. If she let him in… well, then he'd know she didn't leave town with Rosanna and who knows what he'd do with that information. How and why she put up with him for as long as she did, she would never know. Swearing again, she opened the door.

"What the hell do you want Craig?"

"Where's Rosanna?"

"Not here," she said curtly and went to shut the door. Craig put his foot in the door, preventing her from closing it. "What do you think you're doing?" she asked, irritated.

"I'm not leaving here until I get a chance to speak with Rosanna."

"Are you hard of hearing? I told you she's not here, Craig."

"When will she be back?"

Carly thought for a moment on how to answer. If she said in a few days, Craig would go away. But he would also know that Carly hadn't gone with her. If she told him that she'd be back later, then Craig would be back later and she'd have to deal with him again. She chose the first option.

"Rosanna will be back in a few days. You can come by then, if she wants to talk to you."

Craig had a puzzled look on his face for a moment and then gave Carly a full look. He noticed the casual attire and no shoes. Carly was obviously staying at Rosanna's. The question was why.

"So, you're the one ordering room service. I see. So, married life not all it's cracked up to be with Detective Jack?" he said smugly.

"You're an idiot," Carly said glaring at him. "I am not discussing anything about my life with you. You came here for Rosanna. She's not here. So now you can leave."

"Are you trying to get rid of me, Carly? We used to be so close. Am I to understand that the brilliant detective doesn't know you're still in town. Is he under the assumption that you are with Rosanna?"

Guilt ate away at Carly, but she'd be damned before she let Craig know that. "We're having the place fixed up for the baby. Since they're painting and doing some construction, I thought it best if I were out of the house. The kids are staying at Lily's in fact," she said pleased with how quickly she'd come up with that very plausible excuse.

Craig thought about it for a moment and considered it was entirely possible. He resigned himself to the fact that he wasn't going to see Rosanna today. He was still upset that she hadn't bothered to call him to say goodbye in the first place.

"Fine," he conceded. He handed the roses to Carly. "These are for Rosanna, but since she's not here - you can have them. I'll get her some more when she returns." With that he turned around and left.

Carly closed the door and set the flowers on the table. She gave a big sigh and sat down on the bed. Hopefully Craig would accept her reason for being in Rosanna's suite. But if not, she'd best prepare for Jack to find out.

_Across town…_

Jack and Daryl walked back to the car after speaking with the manager of one of the motels on the list. She hadn't seen anyone matching Julia's many descriptions over the past month or so and even offered them access to her security camera tapes. Jack told her he'd let her know and he left disappointed once again. This was the seventh stop so far today and they hadn't come across anyone who had seen Julia. Frustrated, Jack got into the driver's side, slammed the door shut and banged his hand on the steering. Where the hell was she? Why was it so impossible to find any clues to her whereabouts? Daryl got into the passenger side and looked at him. He knew Jack was worried and rightfully so.

"I know you're frustrated, Jack. Let's keep going. Perhaps we'll find something at the next stop," Daryl offered trying to keep him positive but failing miserably.

"I don't know what she wants, Daryl," Jack said softly. "That's the part that scares me. Does she want to hurt Carly, the baby, me? Or is she just playing mind games? If I knew, then I could stop her. But I don't and it's killing me. If something were to happen to Carly…," he trailed off putting his head in his hands. "I don't know what I'd do."

As much as it pained Daryl to see his friend like this, a part of him envied Jack too. Jack had a wife and kids, another on the way. He had a life outside of work, filled with love and happiness. Daryl realized that at this point in his life, this is what he wanted. What he needed. He promised himself then and there, that once this case was over he'd do something about that. In fact, he'd already laid the groundwork for it earlier when he'd spoken with his supervisor. He patted Jack on the shoulder. "Come on, buddy. Don't give up. Let's head to the next place. I'm sure we'll have more luck there. I have a feeling that Julia is closer than we think," he said. If only he knew how close…

Julia sat in her car on the other side of the street. She'd been following the two of them all day since they'd left Java. She could tell how frustrated Jack was and the thought made her smile. Serves him right. He'd made his choice and married _her_. Now he'd just have to deal with the consequences. Soon though, that would be over and he'd realize the mistake he'd made. He would remember that he still loved her and he would beg her forgiveness for how he had treated her. Yes, soon he would be happy once again and he would be back where he belonged. And all their problems will have disappeared once and for all.


	31. Chapter 31

Thirty-one

Jack and Daryl stopped by a couple more motels on the list with no better luck than before. Jack was in a seriously foul mood when they showed up at the next one. The motel manager sat behind the check-in counter reading a magazine and only casually glanced up when Jack and Daryl entered the lobby. He looked back down at the magazine and continued to peruse the pages and asked, "How many rooms?"

Jack walked up to the counter, reached over and grabbed the magazine out of the gentleman's hands. Slamming the magazine down, he held up his badge with the other hand in front of his face.

"Oakdale PD. We're not checking in. We have a few questions for you," Jack stated glaring at the gentleman. Seeing that this was not going to go well, Daryl stepped up next to Jack.

"We have some photos we'd like you to take a look at. See if you recognize anyone in them," Daryl said handing the gentleman the photos of Julia. Daryl patted Jack on the shoulder, which he shrugged off as he stepped away to try and calm down.

Jack paced back and forth as he waited for the answer they'd heard every other time before. His patience was at the breaking point and he knew he was going to loose it soon. He couldn't believe that they hadn't found anyone who had seen Julia. Jack threw a look at the motel manager as he paced. He sure was taking his damn time in looking at the photos. Jack couldn't wait any longer.

"Have you seen her or not," Jack spit out.

The manager looked up at Jack and ignored him. He turned his attention to Daryl and handed back one of the photos. "She was here last week," he said.

"Really?" Daryl said stunned. He too had expected the same result as all the other places before now.

"Yeah. I checked her in myself," he said.

Jack hurried over and grabbed the photo out of Daryl's hand. It was the most recent photo that they had of Julia. In it she had blond hair.

"Did she check in alone?" Jack asked.

The manager was clearly irritated by Jack's attitude and reluctantly answered him. "Yeah, she was alone. No visitors that I saw. Real quiet. Didn't cause any problems."

"When did she check out?" Daryl asked.

"Two days ago," he said.

"We need to see your records," Jack said.

The manager went into the office and came back out with his files. He made a point of handing them to Daryl. Jack glared at him.

"Do you have security cameras?" Jack asked him.

"Nope," he replied sitting back down and picking up his magazine again.

Jack just shook his head and sighed heavily. Regardless of this guy's attitude, he'd not been another dead end. At least now they had something new to go on. He just might be able to get some sleep tonight.

Daryl looked over the motel records. She'd paid cash, though he hadn't expected her not to. She'd used an alias, as well. "We'll need to get copies of all of this. Would you mind?" Daryl asked handing them back to him.

"Not a problem," the manager said taking the files from Daryl and heading back to the office.

Daryl turned to Jack. "You see… just a little patience. I knew we'd find something," he smiled.

"Well I'm glad you were sure. I certainly wasn't. If we had come up empty again, I think I would've lost my mind," Jack acknowledged.

"You don't say," Daryl said laughing.

Jack laughed. "Thanks for being the good cop to my bad cop."

"Anytime." The manager returned with copies and gave them to Daryl. "Thank you very much for all your help," Daryl said.

"Not a problem," he replied to Daryl before giving Jack another sideways glance.

Jack rolled his eyes. "I want to apologize for storming in here the way I did. It's been a rough day and I didn't mean to take it out on you… sorry."

"Ok," was the reply.

Jack didn't think he was going to get anything else and so started to follow Daryl out the door when the manager spoke once more.

"Oh and by the way, she didn't look like that when she checked out," he said.

Jack stopped short and whipped around to face him. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, she wasn't a blond when she checked out. She was a red-head."

"You're positive?" Jack questioned him again.

"Absolutely. I mentioned that I liked it better than the blond hair and she kind of got weird about it. It was like she was upset that I noticed it at all. In my experience, women usually like it when you notice those types of things."

Jack looked the guy over. He had a white t-shirt on that had a stain of something in the front. There were also a hole or two around the collar. The man's hair was a dirty blond that was definitely dirty, not just in color. He couldn't imagine this guy having much experience with women.

"Thank you very much," Jack said smiling. He and Daryl exited the motel and walked toward the car. Jack felt some of the stress leave as he went over the new information in his head. He got into the car and sat for a moment before starting up the engine. Not really looking at anything, just thinking he noticed that across the street there was a car dealership. Surely they might have security tapes. He voiced his thoughts to Daryl and he agreed it was definitely worth checking out. Perhaps one of them pointed in the direction of the motel. Could they be so lucky? There was only one way to find out…

Down the street, in a gray car sat Julia. She watched Jack and the other man walk back to car and get in. She could tell just by looking at him that Jack was feeling better than when he had first gone in. She sat gripping the steering wheel, knowing that they had just obtained new information about her. She had contemplated killing the motel manager the moment he'd mentioned that he liked her red hair better. Obviously, he was very observant and that was something that was never a good thing. She'd had to take care of those types of people in the past. Perhaps she should have done the same again.

She turned the engine on as she saw Jack pull out of the motel parking lot. She was about to merge out into the street when she noticed that he only drove across the street to the car dealership. What the hell was he doing over there? Surely he didn't think she'd bought a car. She pulled out and drove a bit closer, parked again on the side of the road and watched. Jack and Daryl got out of the car. Immediately they were greeted by a salesman. Jack flashed his badge and began pointing around. Julia followed to where he was indicating and her mouth fell open. She saw them. Several of them. Security cameras all over the place! How could she have been so stupid? She gripped the steering wheel again. Her knuckles white as the rage inside her came to a boiling point. She banged both hands on the wheel and screamed at herself. She caught her reflection in the rearview mirror and ripped it off and threw it down onto the passenger side floor. She balled her hands into fists and hit herself in the head, berating herself for not being careful enough. She stopped her tantrum and tried to collect herself. Maybe there wasn't anything to worry about. Perhaps the cameras didn't catch anything. Perhaps they didn't even work. Maybe they were just there to detract potential vandals or thieves. She took a deep breath and watched as Jack and Daryl entered the dealership. She closed her eyes and prayed that their search would come up empty.

Inside the dealership, Jack and Daryl sat in the office while a security guard fetched their surveillance tapes from the past couple of weeks. There was potentially one camera that may have footage they would be useful. The guard came back in to preview a tape to see how much of the motel it actually got. He put it in and the three of them watched. Jack sat there, stressed out and hoping for a miracle. He got one. The camera showed them exactly what they needed. He smiled to himself that they'd caught another break. Daryl looked over at him, with a smile on his face too.

"I think our luck is finally changing."

"It's about time," Jack said in relief. As they sat and watched some more, they caught a glimpse of a red-haired woman entering one of the rooms carrying bags. "That's her," Jack said confidently.

"We'll need to get copies of these tapes for the past month," Daryl told the security guard. "How soon do you think we could get those?"

"It'll take me a couple of days to get you copies for the last month," the guard said.

The smile on Jack's face disappeared. "We don't have that much time. We need those tapes immediately," he said as his voice began to rise in anger. He thought for a moment. "Would it be possible to have the originals? Our guys down at the station can make copies a lot faster and that way we'd have access to them immediately."

"I can't authorize something like that. You'll have to speak with the manager," the guard said.

"Can you please go and get him then," Jack said irritated.

"Can't," he replied.

"Why the hell not?" Jack said loosing his temper.

"He's not here," the guard said glaring back at Jack.

"Do you think you could get him on the phone then?" suggested Daryl.

"Can't," the guard replied again.

Jack looked at him and contemplated arresting him for obstruction.

The guard glanced at Jack and realized he was treading on very thin ice and opted to elaborate his answer. "The manager is on vacation at a family cabin. There's spotty phone coverage at best. He usually comes down to the nearby town to check in, but I don't have anyway of knowing when that might be," he explained.

"I assume that he left someone else in charge while he was gone," Jack questioned.

"Yeah, the assistant manager."

Jack looked at the man. It was like pulling teeth with this guy. Was he that thick or doing this on purpose just to irritate him? "Is the assistant manager here?" he asked.

"He just stepped out for dinner, but should be back in about an hour," he said.

"When he comes back give him my card," Daryl said handing him one.

The guard looked down and noticed the FBI logo. He looked back up and Daryl and said he would.

"Let him know that I'll be back in about an hour to speak with him," Daryl said. "Let's go," he said looking at Jack.

Jack glared at the guard again and followed Daryl out of the dealership and back to the car. They got in and put their seatbelts on.

"You know, you catch more flies with honey…," Daryl said not looking at Jack.

"That's a stupid thing to say to me right now," Jack said shaking his head. "That guy was an idiot."

"Not the brightest of guys, I'll grant you that. But seriously Jack, you need to calm down."

"Calm down? How the hell am I supposed to calm down Daryl when Julia is still out there, who knows where and planning who knows what!" he yelled. "I'll calm down when she's behind bars and my family is safe again. Until then, don't…" he said glaring at Daryl.

"Perhaps you should go and see your kids tonight. I'll come back and get the tapes and I'll start going over them."

Jack sighed. "You think I'm loosing it, don't you?" he said quietly.

"No, no I don't. I think you are a husband and a father who is extremely worried about his family."

"But you think I could be handling things better?" he questioned.

"I just think you need to take a break. It's been a long day. Go over to Lily's. See the kids."

"I'm supposed to go and pick up JJ tomorrow afternoon with Sage. Parker has his big dance with Faith tomorrow too. I'll have plenty of time to see the kids then."

"Then go home and call Carly. Just take some time to collect yourself. I'll get the tapes and head back to the station."

The thought of talking to Carly made him happy. But it also would reinforce that he hadn't caught Julia yet and Carly was due to come home in 3 days. Still, the thought of hearing her voice was enough to convince him. "Alright. You win. I'll drop you off at the station and head home. But I'll be back later tonight. I'll go, call Carly and maybe get a bite to eat," he said starting up the car and pulling out of the dealership.

"Sounds like a plan," Daryl said.

Julia cautiously followed Jack's car back to the station. It appeared that they'd be calling it a night. Julia paid close attention to Jack's body language when he'd left the dealership. He seemed to be slightly irritated. Perhaps they hadn't been able to get what they'd been after. However, Julia had also paid attention to Daryl. She didn't know him at all and so it was hard for her to gauge whether or not they'd been successful. One thing was for certain, he was much more relaxed than Jack was. The fact that Jack was spending all this time concerned about her whereabouts gave Julia a thrill. He was spending every waking moment thinking about nothing else but her. The way it should be. Unfortunately, at the point, his thoughts weren't happy ones. But she felt confident that this would change. She watched Jack drive off in the direction of his Milltown home. She expected to see Daryl head to his car. However, he headed into the station instead. Now Julia had a decision to make. Should she follow Jack home and set the next portion of her plan into motion there? Or should she wait and see what Daryl was going to do?

Jack decided that instead of going home first, he'd stop by and see Sage and Parker. He wanted to make sure that everything was going ok and that Lily wasn't too overwhelmed. He pulled up toward the house and spotted the unmarked patrol car nearby. They acknowledged Jack and he pulled up onto the drive. Sage, who happened to be standing near the window in Natalie's room, saw her dad pull up and get out of the car. She tapped on the window and waved at him with a huge smile on her face. Jack waved back with a grin on his face. She was so much like Carly. They were both fiercely passionate, loyal and they loved unconditionally. Jack didn't know what he'd done to have deserved two such wonderful people in his life, but he would never, ever take it for granted again. Sage beat her dad to the door and was standing there waiting for him as he made his way up the walkway.

"Dad!" she said as she rushed forward to give him a hug.

"Hey princess," he said picking her up and hugging her back. "How are things going?"

"Great! Natalie and I went horseback riding today after school at Aunt Emma's."

"That sounds really great. How's school? Are you getting all your homework done?"

"Of course, Dad. Aunt Lily makes us do that as soon as we get home and have had a snack," she said with a roll of her eyes.

Jack smiled at how closely she resembled her mother at that moment. Jack couldn't possibly count how many times Carly had rolled her eyes at him. God he missed her.

Sage could sense something was wrong. "Are you ok, dad?"

"Of course, honey. I'm just tired. I've been working late this week."

"Are you missing mom too?" she asked instinctively.

Jack looked at her and sensed in her how much she missed Carly too. "Yeah… I miss your mom a lot. Good news is that she's going to be back sooner than we thought," he said. _Or not so good if Julia is still out there_, he thought to himself.

"I know! She called last night and told me. I can't wait for her to come home," she said giving him another huge smile.

"Where's your brother?" Jack asked as they made their way inside.

"He's upstairs listening to music. I'll go get him," she said taking off up the stairs.

Lily walked out into the living room and greeted Jack with a smile. "How are things?" she asked.

"Well, it looks like we finally caught a break today," Jack said keeping his voice low. "We located the motel Julia had been staying at and hopefully we'll have even more to go on soon. The car dealership across the street has security cameras and we lucked out that one of them points toward the motel and we got her on tape."

"That's great news."

"Yes it is, as long as it means that we actually are able to find Julia and take care of this once and for all."

"You don't sound so sure," Lily questioned.

"I'm not. Julia's been so clever at keeping her whereabouts a secret until now that I'm afraid to be hopeful. Plus, now with Carly coming home sooner than planned, I don't have as much time as I thought I did."

"Well, if you're worried. You could always have Carly come and stay here with me and the kids when she gets back. I noticed the extra security the other day," Lily said raising an eyebrow at him.

"Sorry about that. I didn't want to tell you about the patrol car because I didn't want you to think that I was putting you and your kids in harms way. I'm sure that Julia wouldn't harm any of you. My kids… I'm not so sure about. With Julia, I can't be too careful."

"I'm not upset, Jack. I just wish you felt you could tell me."

"Is everything going ok? The kids aren't too much of a trouble are they?" he asked.

"Actually, it's been great. Sage and Natalie keep each other occupied all the time and Parker has been fantastic at keeping Ethan from feeling left out. I've hardly had to do anything," she smiled.

"I'm going to be by tomorrow to pick up Sage around noon so we can get JJ from school. I'm hoping to get back in time to be here before Parker and Faith head to the dance. But if I'm not, please take lots and lots of pictures. Carly would absolutely kill me if I didn't get pictures of the two of them."

"Oh don't worry about that. I'll make sure to take plenty, but just in case you can leave your camera here and I'll take some photos for you as well. Have you seen the dress Carly made? It's absolutely beautiful and it's perfect on Faith."

"I did. Carly was worried that you or Holden might think it too grown up for her."

"Well to tell the truth, Holden had second thoughts," Lily laughed. "However, his daughter pouted and got her way."

"It's amazing the power daughters have over their fathers," Jack said knowing all too well.

Julia had followed Jack. She figured out early on that he wasn't heading back home. She soon recognized that he was heading to Lily's house. She knew his kids were staying with Lily. And thanks to the listening device in Sage's backpack, she'd learned a few days ago that _she_ was coming home sooner than planned. When Jack had pulled up toward the house she noticed that there was another car parked nearby. She decided to play it safe, pulled into another drive and turned around to head back toward town. She smiled at her good fortune. By the time she made her way back to the station, Daryl was leaving and walking toward his car. She followed him back to the dealership and waited. He emerged a short while later carrying a box of something. Anger flared inside her as she realized what was in the box. What was she going to do? Obviously there was information on those tapes. Otherwise, they wouldn't have bothered collecting them. She watched him get back in the car. He made a phone call and then pulled away. Julia followed him back to the station. Obviously things had changed and she needed to move to the next phase. Tomorrow all hell would break loose.


	32. Chapter 32

**Thirty-two**

The past several days were definitely talking their toll on Carly. Not only was she bored out of her mind, but when talking with Jack, she felt exceedingly guilty. He was working late each night, determined to catch and put Julia away once and for all. The added stress of worrying about Jack, not to mention the constant guilt was not good on Carly's blood pressure. It had been higher than normal the past couple of days. The good news is that it was Saturday and Rosanna was due to come home tomorrow night. Carly couldn't wait to break free from this prison and see Jack and the kids again.

Speaking of the kids, she'd called Lily's the night before and talked with both Sage and Parker. Sage was having fun but was missing her mom and couldn't wait to see her. She'd even asked if she could stay home from school on Monday so that she could spend the day with her. Carly told her she'd think about it. She also wanted to know what Carly had bought her as a souvenir. Carly made a mental note to remind Rosanna to get something, if she hadn't already. Sage was also looking forward to going with her dad to pick up JJ from school. Carly too was looking forward to seeing him and wished she didn't have to wait an extra day.

When she spoke with Parker she made sure school was going well and she asked if he had everything ready for the dance. She double and triple checked that his suit fit, that he'd made dinner reservations and that he had ordered flowers for Faith. She also reminded him that he promised to have lots and lots of photos taken. "Yes mom," he'd said exasperatedly. Carly had also talked with Lily last night.

"How are things going? I hope this hasn't been too much of an inconvenience for you, Lily."

"Absolutely not. I'm glad to help and the kids have been no problem at all. Like I told Jack when he stopped by, it's been really easy. Parker's helped out with Ethan and Sage and Natalie are having a blast."

"You saw Jack? How is he? Be honest with me. He sounds so tired when I talk to him. How does he look?" Carly asked all in one breath.

"He looks tired. But don't tell him I said that. I think the fact that you're coming home on Sunday is worrying him. They haven't caught Julia yet. Though he seemed more optimistic than when I'd spoke with him last time. He wouldn't go into specifics, but he and Daryl had found a new lead."

"I hope he's being careful. I don't trust her, Lily. If she's feeling threatened or desperate, there's no telling what she'll do."

"At least he has Daryl to back him up. He knows all about her. Plus he can be a little more objective, since Jack's main focus is protecting you and the kids."

"Yes. I'm happy that Daryl is here and working with Jack. I just don't want him doing something that will put him at risk, you know? What am I saying… everything having to do with that lunatic is risky! I swear Lily if I saw her, I don't know what I'd do."

"Well hopefully that won't happen. You must be pretty tired, it's got to be really late there," Lily said.

"Uh… yeah. I am a little tired. I suppose I should go. Oh and Lily…"

"Yes. I promise to take lots and lots of pictures," Lily laughed.

"How did you know I was going to say that?"

"It's a mom thing."

"Thanks again for everything."

"You don't have to keep thanking me. I'm happy to do it, really. Take care and I'll see you soon."

"Bye Lily." Carly had hung up the phone and found ways to occupy her time until bed.

So now here she was. It was Saturday afternoon and she was sitting upstairs in Rosanna's suite. It just so happened that the dance was being held downstairs in the Lakeview Ballroom. Parker and Faith would be arriving downstairs in about 4 hours. Carly was seriously contemplating sneaking downstairs to get a peek of them. She wasn't sure if she should try and risk it. Too many other people lived or were staying in the hotel that believed she was out of town. If they saw her, her cover would be blown. However, this was her baby and she wanted to see him all dressed up. She was still undecided about the whole thing.

* * *

Julia had learned from the listening device in the backpack that Jack was heading out of town to bring his son home from boarding school. When Julia had heard the boy's name was JJ, her heart had leapt for joy. _Jack Jr. _This was the child they should have had. They would have had, if it hadn't been for _her_. The child _she_ took from her. There were times when she believed that Jack no longer cared for her, loved her. But this… this was living proof that he did indeed still care. The thought of her and Jack raising the boy as a family gave her a renewed energy. She saw clearly what needed to be done. Tie up all the loose ends. Which was why she sat across the street from the Oakdale Police Department. She sat in her car waiting for him to emerge. He'd been in there for most of the day and her patience would wane every now and again. However, one thought of the three of them living as a happy family and she'd be good to go for another hour or two. She sat focused on the front doors to the police station and thought. She decided that they would need a fresh start. Away from all the bad memories. Somewhere they could focus on each other. They could head back up to Canada. Julia had lived there for the last year and a half quite peacefully. However, Europe might be nice too. She smiled to herself as she daydreamed about the endless possibilities.

She noticed immediately when the doors opened. She prayed that it would finally be him. She held her breath… and was rewarded. He walked with purpose to his car, got in and pulled away. She followed.

* * *

Daryl was driving to a hardware store on the outskirts of town. Over the last 24 hours, he and a few other officers had spent nearly 18 hours going over surveillance video and traffic camera footage to see if they could find any trace of Julia's car. They'd hit the jackpot when her car was spotted earlier in the week. It happened to catch her pulling in and going into a hardware store. Daryl was on his way there to speak with anyone who may have helped her. Unfortunately he was on his own today. Jack was picking up his son from school and wouldn't be back until after dinner. They were hoping to get really lucky and catch her tonight. At least that was Jack's plan. Daryl didn't think it was going to be that easy. At this point Julia was still one, if not several steps ahead of them. She'd barely made any mistakes thus far. They'd lucked out with the car dealership being across the street from the motel she'd stayed at. He didn't think it would happen again. He pulled into the parking lot, parked and headed into the store.

* * *

About half way to his destination, Julia realized where he was headed. She pulled over a block or two back from the store, knowing why he was there. Her only hope was that no one working today would recognize her. She didn't know how he'd figured out about the store and she didn't care. All it did was further convince her that he had to go. He was a definite threat. She didn't know him and didn't know how his mind worked. With Jack it was easier more predictable. She sat and waited, watching. After about 30 minutes he walked out, talking on his phone. She couldn't tell by his body language whether or not his trip had been successful. He got back into his car and headed back they way he'd come. Again, she followed.

* * *

Jack and Sage were heading up to the school to get JJ. It had been quite a while since it was just Jack and his daughter. They talked about everything. From the songs on the radio and the bands she liked to fashion to movies. He made a mental note to make sure it happened more often. They stopped for lunch about half way through their trip.

"What are you going to have, honey?" Jack asked her as her perused the menu.

"A burger, I think. No wait… maybe chicken strips? I definitely want a strawberry milkshake though."

"A shake does sound good. I think I'll have one of those too," he said looking up from the menu to smile at her. The waitress came and took their order and returned a short while later with their shakes.

"So, do you think your brother is all finished packing? I sure hope so, because your mother will kill me if I don't get any photos of Parker and Faith."

"Daaaad," Sage said rolling her eyes. "Don't worry. Mom talked to Lily last night and asked her to take photos."

"Your mom called last night?" Jack hadn't actually spoke with Carly since Thursday. When he had, she sounded out of sorts. Not like herself.

"Uh huh. I tried to get her to tell me what she's bringing me, but she said it was a surprise."

"How is she doing? She sound ok?"

"Yeah, she sounds fine. She's really excited to come home. She says she's missed us all very much."

Jack couldn't agree more. He'd missed her so bad. And even though Julia was still out there, the thought of seeing her, holding her, touching her, kissing her… it consumed his dreams at night.

"I miss her too."

"Me too dad. I asked mom if she'd let me stay home from school on Monday to spend the day with her."

"What'd she say to that?" Jack asked laughing at the excuses kids make for _needing_ to stay home from school.

"She'd let me know once she got home," Sage said with a shrug of the shoulders.

"You're mom might need her rest that first day back. It's a long flight home. Besides, it won't be too much longer until the baby arrives," Jack said. He stopped for a moment and really thought about it. Carly's due date was only 3 weeks away. It was amazing how quickly and yet how long the time seemed to drag by. Jack was looking forward to it.

"Has mom told you yet?" Sage asked, referring to the sex of the baby.

"No she hasn't and don't you even think about spilling the beans," Jack said giving her a look.

"Don't you want to know?"

"I want to be surprised. Besides, as long as the baby is healthy I'll be thrilled either way.

"You know you're like the only one who doesn't know, right dad?"

Jack just smiled and laughed to himself.

The waitress brought the food soon after and they ate and laughed and joked throughout the meal before getting back in the car. It was only another hour or so until they arrived to pick up JJ. Much to Jack's amazement, JJ had nearly everything packed up and ready to go when they arrived. He and Sage helped pack up what was left and after several trips, had one last load left.

"I'm impressed buddy," Jack said picking up a couple of boxes as they headed to the car. "There wasn't too much left to do."

"Told you I'd be ready to go," JJ said slightly out of breath carrying the heavy boxes.

"I'm so happy you're coming home to stay," Sage said. "I've missed you."

"Me too squirt. I wanted to make sure I was home before mom had the baby. What time is she going to be home tomorrow?"

"Not until late tomorrow night," Jack answered setting the load of boxes into the car. JJ and Sage handed their boxes over.

"Can I come with you to pick her up at the airport?" JJ asked.

"Me too!" Sage hollered.

"I was planning on picking her up at the Lakeview since Rosanna was having a driver come and pick her up. But, I think we should all head to the airport and wait for her. We'll surprise her," Jack said grinning.

"That will be perfect!" Sage said excitedly.

Yes it will be, Jack thought to himself. His wife, all three kids (and the one on the way) all home together. "Let's get going. After I drop you guys off at Lily's, I need to head to the station." Jack hoped that Daryl had been successful in his search.

* * *

After visiting the hardware store, Daryl headed back to the station. He arranged to have several officers out on patrol in the areas they knew Julia had visited. He then headed back to the Lakeview for dinner and a quick shower before he was to head back to the station to meet Jack. Upon leaving the dining room, Daryl noticed all the tuxes and dresses. He looked around to see if he could see Parker, but no luck. The lobby and the surrounding areas were very crowded as he made his way toward the elevators. One set of doors opened and among the crowd exiting was Craig Montgomery. Daryl did his best to try and avoid him, but unfortunately it didn't work.

"Well if it isn't our humble FBI loaner," Craig said snidely. "Shouldn't you be getting back to the big city?"

"What's the matter Craig? Am I cramping your style?" Daryl retorted.

"Please… don't insult me," he said giving Daryl a look up and down.

Daryl rolled his eyes and attempted to get on the elevator, but it was too crowded.

"Shucks. Looks like you'll have to wait for the next one," Craig sarcastically.

"Heard from Rosanna yet, Craig?" Daryl asked already knowing the answer.

Craig glared at him.

"That's what I thought," Daryl said with a smug smile. As Daryl and Craig had their exchange, someone noticed and walked over.

"Hi Daryl," Parker said walking up and shaking Daryl's hand. "Craig."

"Don't you look sharp," Daryl said turning around. He glanced around. "Where's Faith?"

"She and a couple of girls stepped into the restroom for a minute."

"Trust me. If she didn't go in alone, she'll be in there longer than a minute," Daryl said with a laugh. "Did you get to see your dad before you left?"

"No. Dad, Sage and JJ didn't make it back in time. But they called and they should be home soon."

"JJ's coming home?" Craig asked trying to include himself in the conversation.

"Yeah. He wants to be home before mom has the baby," Parker said barely looking at Craig.

"I'll tell your dad I saw you. He's going to be meeting me at the station later tonight."

"He's working Saturday night?" Parker asked.

"Yes. We're still trying to finish up that case before your mom and Rosanna get home tomorrow," Daryl explained without really explaining anything.

"Rosanna is finally coming home tomorrow…" Craig said aloud not really to anyone in particular.

"Rosanna and Carly," Daryl clarified.

"Hmmm… oh yes. And Carly," Craig laughed.

Daryl looked at him, not really understanding what he meant by that. He didn't have too long to ponder it though, as Faith made her way to Parker's side. Parker made the introduction.

"You look beautiful," Daryl said to her. "Parker is a lucky guy."

"Thank you," she said giving him a genuine smile.

"He's right. You do look beautiful. You're all grown up," Craig added.

"Thanks Uncle Craig."

"Well, we'd better head in," Parker said grabbing her hand. Faith looked up at him and gave him a radiant smile. "See you later," he said to Daryl and Craig. Faith smiled as she turned and headed into the ballroom with Parker.

Daryl's luck was changing. The elevator doors opened and he jumped on board with quite a few others before Craig could say a word. The doors shut and he breathed a sigh of relief. The elevator stopped a few times before arriving at his floor. He stepped out with another couple and headed off in the direction of his room. Right as he reached his room, his phone vibrated. He glanced down at the caller id and noticed it was Rosanna. He slid his room card into the door and heard the click as it unlocked. Before he had a chance to open the door or answer the call, he felt a sharp pain in his lower back and the cold steel of a blade as it stuck him. He felt another stab and another as he fell against the door and the world went black.


	33. Chapter 33

**Chapter Thirty-three**

Carly stood at the door of Rosanna's suite with her hand on the door handle. She wanted to go down to the ballroom to see if she could catch a glimpse of Parker and Faith. She could wait to see photos of them, but the temptation was killing her. It was only downstairs. She'd make sure to stay out of site and be down there 10 minutes, no longer. If she didn't see him by then, she'd head back upstairs. Besides, no one knew she was there. Well, almost no one. Craig knew, but since Jack hadn't shown up with the witness protection program to send her out of town, she figured he'd kept his mouth shut. With her mind made up, she was about to turn the handle when there was a knock at her door. She froze and waited. They knocked again and this time hollered to her.

"Carly… I know you're in there. Open up," Craig bellowed.

Carly groaned and waited, hoping he'd go away.

"I'm not going anywhere until you let me in," he yelled a little louder.

"Oh for crying out loud," Carly said turning the handle and opening the door. "What's the matter with you? Are you trying to broadcast my whereabouts?" she said angrily.

Craig slid his way past her and into the room. "I knew you wouldn't open the door without some incentive," he said slyly.

"What do you want?"

"I'd like to propose a deal."

"I don't know what's floating around inside that head of yours, but clearly you've lost your mind. There is no way in hell I'm making any sort of deal with you."

"I beg to differ. You see, I know that you are here in Oakdale when you're supposed to be with Rosanna in Germany. And if I'm not mistaken, that's supposed to be a secret," he said whispering the last part.

Carly just glared at him.

"So you see, if you want me to keep silent about your current location… you are going to help me out."

"Help you out how? What are you up to? Whose life are you going to inflict damage upon now?"

"You wound me, Carly. Who said anything about inflicting damage. No, I'm talking about changing someone's life for the better," he said smugly.

Carly shook her head. "That isn't possible," she shot back.

"No really. I think this is the best solution for both of us. I get what I want and you get what you want."

"I don't want anything from you, Craig."

"So… you wouldn't have any problems with me calling Jack and letting him know where he can find his wife."

"Why are you doing this? Why can't you just leave me alone," she sighed as she walked over to a chair to sit down. Dealing with Craig was exhausting.

"Because you are the one person who can help me."

"Lucky me," she said sarcastically. "So what do you need help with?"

"I need you to help me with Rosanna."

"What?"

"I need you to talk to Rosanna on my behalf. You know, point out my finer qualities."

Carly looked at him like he'd just sprouted horns. "You've got to be kidding me." Carly waited for the punch line. When Craig looked at her straight-faced, she saw that he was actually serious. "I'm not going to bat for you Craig. There is no way that I'm going to tell Rosanna that you are worthy of her attention, let alone her affection. Especially not when she has someone like Daryl, who is clearly a better man."

"You see, I knew you were behind that. Rosanna would never look twice at a guy like Daryl without someone whispering in her ear and encouraging her to do so. You can't honestly think that someone like _him_ could make her happy."

"Of course I do. Why couldn't he make her happy? Because he's smart, handsome, reliable, not to mention honest. Oh and best of all… he's not you."

"Ha ha, very funny. I'm serious, Carly. He's not right for Rosanna. She needs someone who will challenge her, keep her guessing. You know, add some spice to her life. Daryl… the guy is bland. Apparently though, some women like that sort of thing," he said giving Carly a look.

"Get out! I've heard enough. I'm not helping you, Craig. I would never, EVER speak on your behalf to Rosanna. I happen to love my sister and I don't want to subject her to anymore pain and suffering at your hands. You've hurt her enough for one lifetime. If Rosanna doesn't want to have anything to do with you, then I say thank God."

"You know, I really don't understand where all this animosity is coming from Carly. We used to be close."

"Clearly I've made mistakes in my life. Getting involved in any capacity with you being the biggest. You've lied, stolen and cheated among all the other more heinous things you've done. I'm only sorry it took me this long to come to my senses."

"I've only ever tried to help you, help your career."

"And you helped yourself to my son's money. Was that for me too?"

"Of course it was. It was your company I was trying to build."

"It wasn't just for me Craig and you damn well know it."

"Rosanna replaced the money, didn't she? It's really a moot point."

"You are unbelievable!" Carly said, shocked. "Just because someone came along and cleaned up your mess… AGAIN, you think that somehow that makes you not accountable. You haven't learned a thing in all the years I've known you."

"Well, I guess you leave me no choice then," Craig left the threat hanging in the air.

"Goodbye Craig," Carly said walking over to the door and opening it for him.

Craig shook his head and walked toward the door. He stopped and turned around to look at her. "You disappoint me, Carly."

"You'll get over it," she said as she slammed the door shut.

_Meanwhile, across town…_

Jack, Sage and JJ arrived at Lily's just as she Natalie and Ethan were sitting down to dinner. Holden had decided to stay for dinner too, as he had brought Faith over for the dance. Sage and JJ were hungry and joined them, but Jack was more concerned about getting to the station to meet up with Daryl. However, he didn't want to be impolite and just drop the kids off and leave. Plus, he needed to check with Lily about the pictures for Carly.

"I made sure to take dozens. Both Faith and Parker were more than ready to leave by the time I was finished," she grinned. "Carly will have her pick, believe me."

"That's great. I really appreciate it. I guess I owe you another one," Jack said with a faint smile. "You both have been great about all this."

"We're family Jack. It's not a problem," Holden said.

"Still… I've had to ask a lot of you guys," Jack said guiltily. He realized that all this was his fault. All the inconvenience he'd put on Lily, taking care of his kids and Faith, who had to live out at the farm while Parker was staying there. Not to mention the disruption to his own family. If only he could go back in time and change things… But it didn't do to dwell on the past. What's done is done. Now he just needed to focus on fixing everything and making things right.

Holden excused himself from the table and offered to walk Jack out to his car. Jack walked over to Sage and gave her a kiss on the top of her head. She jumped up and gave him a hug too.

"I had a great time today dad," she said giving him a squeeze.

"Me too, sweetheart," he said hugging her back. He walked over to JJ and gave his hair a tussle before kissing his head too. "I'm glad you're home. Both of you be good for Lily and I'll come by tomorrow to take you guys to the airport to pick up your mom," he said with a smile on his face. He needed to see her so badly. Needed her to help him get through this. He didn't know why he'd thought sending her away would be a good thing.

"Can we stop and get her some flowers?" Sage asked.

"Of course. I'm sure she'll love that."

"Bye dad," they chimed together.

"Bye guys. Bye Ethan and Natalie," he added before heading over to Lily and giving her a kiss on the cheek. "Thanks again."

"Anytime," she smiled.

Holden and Jack walked out the front door to Jack's car.

"How are you holding up?" he asked. He could tell Jack was exhausted.

"As well as can be expected given the fact that I've accomplished absolutely nothing while Carly's been away," he answered frustrated. He ran his fingers through his hair. "I've got to find her, Holden. Carly's coming home tomorrow and Julia's still out there. She's still a threat."

"Lily said you seemed more optimistic last night when you stopped by," Holden began. "Has something changed?"

"No, nothing's changed. But nothing's been resolved either. I need to get to the station and talk to Daryl. Who knows. Perhaps while I've been gone he's gotten closer to actually finding her."

"Let us know if there's anything we can do," Holden said patting him on the shoulder.

"You guys have done enough. I can't impose upon you further," Jack said, the guilt creeping back into his face.

"Jack enough of that. We're family and we help each other out. I can't even begin to count how many times you've helped us in the past."

"Thanks Holden. It means a lot." Jack let out a sigh. "Alright I need to go. I'll call you if anything comes up," he said as he got into his car.

"Be careful," Holden said before turning and heading into the house.

_Back at the Lakeview…_

Carly paced the floor of the room. She was worried that Craig would indeed contact Jack and let him know where she was. How would he react? How mad exactly would he be? Well, there wasn't anything she could do about it. She refused to give in to his ridiculous demands that she speak to Rosanna. It was not going to happen. Rosanna was better off with Craig out of her life. She only hoped that it would stayed that way. Regardless of what Craig thought, Daryl was a perfect match for Rosanna. He'd already established a career for himself and was secure in who he was and what he wanted in life. Carly could tell that what he wanted right now was Rosanna and the same could be said for her. She could tell when she heard Rosanna talk about him or see it in her eyes when his name was mentioned that there was something there. Carly wasn't sure how things would turn out since Daryl didn't live in Oakdale, but one never knew what the future held. No matter, she couldn't do anything about that now.

Her thoughts drifted back downstairs to the dance going on in the ballroom. It was in full swing by now and Carly again thought about taking this opportunity to take a glance around. She knew that Daryl was staying at the Lakeview. But she also knew that he'd be working with Jack tonight given the fact that Julia was still on the loose. So really, the only person she needed to avoid might be Lisa. Of course, she couldn't let Parker or Faith spot her either. Carly dug through her purse and pulled out a pair of sunglasses. Hmmm, that would be a little too obvious she was trying to hide. She went over to the wardrobe and grabbed her jacket with a hood. She figured she could pull that up and at least partially disguise herself from view. Her mind made up, she headed for the door.

_Meanwhile…_

She held him against the door until she could open it and get him inside. Thankfully, there hadn't been anyone around. His timing had been perfect. Since she knew where his room was, it was easy enough to go upstairs and wait for him to arrive. She'd followed him into the lobby and saw him head to the lounge for dinner. She had plenty of time to set everything up perfectly and go over every scenario in her mind ahead of time. She had begun to get a bit worried when it took him longer than she had expected, but then he turned the corner and everything fell into place.

As the door swung open, Daryl's body fell forward to the ground. He lay motionless as she moved his legs quickly so she could close the door before someone came by. She dragged him feet first to the other side of the bed so he wasn't readily visible upon entering the room. She felt for a pulse. It was weak and judging by the amount of blood seeping from the wounds in his back, it wouldn't take long for it to stop altogether. She looked over the carpet of the room to see how much of a mess she'd made. There was some blood on the floor at the point his body first fell and faint traces of it from where she dragged him. She grabbed some towels from the bathroom and grabbed some seltzer water from the bar. Thankfully there was enough of a pattern to the carpet that the blood blended in and wasn't as noticeable. She scrubbed as much as she felt she had time for. She needed to get out of there quickly. She hadn't planned on their being so many people at the hotel that night. Though, it did prove to be useful as she was able to blend in without much notice. She knew Jack would be trying to contact him soon and she needed to be gone from the room before that happened. She picked up the towels and shoved them behind the curtains. She opened the door and took a peak around to make sure the coast was clear before heading toward the elevator.

_Elsewhere…_

Carly was standing near one of the entrances of the ballroom, hoping like crazy to see Parker and Faith. There were so many people though and she was having a hard time locating them. She glanced down at her watch. Only 3 more minutes before she told herself that she had to head back upstairs. She looked up and quickly scanned the dance floor again. Finally another couple moved and sure enough, behind them were Parker and Faith. He looked so handsome and Faith looked absolutely beautiful. He was saying something to her and she had a huge smile on her face. Tears came to her eyes as Carly no longer saw her little boy on the dance floor, but a young man all grown up with a future full of possibilities. She stood frozen to the spot just watching them as they moved around the dance floor. Parker happened to glance up and nearly made eye contact with her. It was so sudden that Carly hadn't had time to react. She quickly spun around and headed toward the elevators. She'd almost blown it. That was twice now. Once with Craig and who knew what he'd do. And now with Parker. She needed to get up to the room as quickly as she could. She stood off to the side of the elevators and glanced back every now and then to see if Parker had followed after her. She saw no sign of him as she heard the elevator door ding as it arrived at the lobby. She quickly made her way in, but stopped suddenly as she nearly ran into the person exiting. She looked up to apologize and came face to face with her worst nightmare… Julia.


	34. Chapter 34

Thirty-four

A slow smile curled the corners of her mouth. She couldn't believe her luck. The one person who carried the key to her future - literally - walked right into her hands. She glanced down at _her_ belly. Unconsciously, she stepped forward with her hand extended to feel the baby.

Carly, who had been rooted to the spot with a mixture of shock and fear, instinctively took a step back as Julia advanced. She shook her head to clear it and started focusing on the task at hand. She needed to get away from Julia. She looked around and began to come up with ways of making her escape, all the while backing away from the mad woman in front of her.

Julia looked up into her face and saw _her_ mind racing, saw _her_ calculating a way to escape. Immediately she stepped forward grabbed _her_ by the arm. "Where are you going?" she said in a cold voice. "We haven't even had a chance to talk yet. We have so much to catch up on," she said with a wicked smile.

"Let go of me," Carly said coldly.

"I don't think so. You and I are going to go somewhere private where we don't have to worry about anyone overhearing us."

"I'm not going anywhere with you," Carly said trying to remain as calm as possible. "All I have to do is scream and someone will help me."

"You so much as speak to loudly and I'll stab you right here and right now," she whispered in Carly's ear as she tightened her grip on her arm.

"You wouldn't do that. There are too many people around. You'd never get away with it."

"Maybe so, but do you really want to risk the life of your child to find that out? I've got nothing to loose. You on the other hand," she paused for a moment as she pulled a knife from her coat pocket. "You do," she finished as she carefully concealed the knife as she held it against Carly's stomach. Carly looked at Julia. There was an emptiness behind the eyes that stared back at her. Julia had no conscience and Carly would never risk the life of her baby.

Julia saw the resignation on Carly's face and she smiled triumphantly. "That's better. You do exactly as I say and no harm will come to my baby."

Panic spread throughout Carly. Her eyes widened as she could feel the fear consuming her. "You mean _my_ baby," she said, her voice shaking. Her hands instinctively went to her stomach as she tried to shield the baby from the evil in front of her.

"Isn't that what I said?" she asked coyly. "Come on. You and I are going to make a little trip. But first, we need to make one stop," she said pulling at Carly's arm and heading in the direction of the parking garage.

Carly quickly glanced around, desperate to try and get someone's attention. However, because the lobby and the surrounding areas were so crowded with loud teens and music, that nobody noticed.

Julia could tell Carly was trying to stall. She stopped suddenly and got close enough so that only she could hear. "I already used this knife once tonight. I don't have second thoughts about using it again," she threatened.

"What?" Carly asked terrified. Her mind began playing out different scenarios in her head. Each one worse than the other. "Not Jack! Tell me you didn't hurt Jack," she pleaded.

"Ok. I didn't hurt Jack. Feel better now?" she smiled, though it didn't reach her eyes.

Carly didn't know if she was telling the truth or if she was just telling her what she wanted to hear. Carly tried to calm herself down. Panicking wasn't going to do her any good. She needed to stay focused. At some point Julia would make a mistake and Carly would need to be ready.

Julia tugged at her arm again and Carly reluctantly followed.

_Elsewhere in the Lakeview…_

Several stories above, Daryl lay on the floor, blood pooling from the stab wounds Julia inflicted. Somewhere in his mind he could hear a strange sound, but he couldn't figure out what was making the noise. He tried concentrating but his mind was having a hard time focusing on anything but the pain in his back. He attempted to open his eyes. They were heavy and it was nearly impossible to do. His breathing was shallow and as he concentrated on that, he realized that the strange sounds were connected to the breathing. One of his lungs must have been punctured. Daryl had no clue how long he'd been lying there. All he did know was that he needed a doctor and soon. He closed his eyes again and concentrated on short shallow breaths and tried to remain calm. He didn't think he' be able to get up. He hoped that Jack would come looking for him, but he couldn't count on Jack finding him before it was too late. He needed a phone and then he remembered. Rosanna! She had called him right before he was attacked. He needed to think.

He'd been barely aware of the arms that propped him up against the door as it opened. Once it had been, he felt himself fall completely forward onto the ground. The impact caused the phone to shoot out of his hand and slide under the bed. As he fell to the floor, he saw her… Julia. He'd lost consciousness at that point. He slowly opened his eyes again. He was next to the bed which meant that his phone had to be nearby. He turned his head very slowly as he tried looking for his phone under the dark of the bed. He could see it not too far away. The problem was that he was going to have to move to get it. He took a moment to focus and then concentrated on inching closer. The pain was excruciating and it was becoming more difficult to breath. He dragged himself further toward the bed until his head and most of his shoulders were underneath it. He reached out and was able to make contact with it. With his fingertips he pulled the phone towards him. Just that small amount of exertion took a lot out of him and his breathing was becoming more and more erratic. He knew he didn't have much time until he passed out again. He looked at his phone and saw the missed call notice from Rosanna. Without giving it another thought, he hit the recall button.

_Meanwhile, in Germany…_

Rosanna was sitting in her hotel room. She was finishing getting her suitcase all packed up and was planning on getting to bed early tonight. She had to go into the office one last time before catching her plane tomorrow afternoon. The movers had come and picked all her stuff up earlier in the day from her house and so, for her last evening she checked into a hotel. She had lots of things on her mind. Completing the business paperwork before heading back to Oakdale, finding a place to live once she did get back and perhaps the most important one to her right now… determining whether or not anything was going to happen between her and Daryl.

She had tried calling him earlier, but hadn't been able to reach him. She'd left him a quick message, nothing too personal. Just letting him know when her flight was getting in and that if he wasn't busy, perhaps they could meet for drinks or a late dinner. She knew he was busy working with Jack tracking down Julia. He hadn't said so the couple of times they'd talk, but she could tell he was getting just as frustrated as Jack apparently was.

So here it was that she was laying out her clothes for tomorrow when she received a call. Assuming it was Carly calling again to finalize the last of their plan's details, she reached over and grabbed the phone. She was pleasantly surprised to see that it was Daryl calling.

"Hello! I didn't think I'd hear from you tonight," she said smiling.

There was no response.

"Daryl? Are you there?" Rosanna asked looking down at her phone to check to see if something was wrong with her phone's connection.

"Rosanna," came a quiet voice.

"Daryl? Is that you? Are you alright?"

"Help. I… need… Jack," his voice was weak.

"Where are you? Are you hurt?" she could hear the panic in her own voice.

"Help me… my… room," he groaned as the pain in his lungs shot through him. "Call Jack… hurry!" And with the last bit of conscious thought, he hung up his phone.

"Oh my God," Rosanna whispered to herself as she quickly pulled Jack's number up on her phone and dialed it. "Please don't let anything happen to him," she said closing her eyes as she waited for Jack to answer.

_Back in Oakdale…_

Jack was just about to the station to meet Daryl, when his phone rang. He looked down and saw that it was Rosanna. He sighed. Now was not a good time. However, the thought of there being something wrong with Carly didn't allow him not to answer it.

"Hey Rosanna. Is everything ok?" Jack asked.

"No Jack, it's not," she said crying.

Jack immediately pulled over to the side of the road. "What's wrong, Rosanna? Is Carly ok… is it the baby?"

"Huh? What? I don't… no Jack, no. It's not Carly. It's Daryl. He's been hurt badly. He just called me. He's in his room at the Lakeview. You need to get to him now!"

"Why did he call you?" Jack asked perplexed. That didn't make any sense.

"I don't know, but you need to help him now. He could barely talk. Please Jack, make sure he's ok," she pleaded.

"Alright, I'm on my way now," he said as he put on his siren and pulled out into traffic.

"And Jack…," Rosanna began. She was scared to tell him, but knew she had to. "There's something else you need to know." She paused and took a deep breath for courage. "Carly's not here with me in Germany."

All the color drained from Jack's face. Fear consumed him and he gripped the steering wheel to try and remain calm. "Where is she, Rosanna?"

"She's staying in my suite at the Lakeview," she whispered. Jack didn't respond. "Don't be too mad Jack. She didn't want to leave you and the kids in case something happened."

"Something better not have," he said with deadly seriousness.

"Jack, you don't think that Julia… that she… you know, got to Daryl?"

"I have to go Rosanna."

"Keep me posted Jack," she said, but he had already hung up.

Jack's instinct was to call Carly first, but if Daryl was seriously hurt then he needed to make sure help arrived. He called and had dispatch send out the paramedics and 2 additional police units to meet him at the Lakeview.

Jack swallowed. There was a lump of fear stuck in his throat and it was making him nauseous. He quickly dialed Carly as he raced to the Lakeview.

"Come on Carly. Be there," Jack said desperately as he waited for her to answer. Her phone went to voicemail.

"Hello. You've reached Carly. Please leave a message and I'll call you back."

"Damn it Carly," he said before the beep sounded. "Carly, honey - it's Jack. I need you to call me as soon as you get this, ok?" He hung up and called the Lakeview and asked to be put through to Rosanna's suite. Still no answer. He threw his phone onto the seat next to him in frustration. Fear engulfed him. If Julia had gotten to Carly and harmed her or the baby in any way… Jack shook that thought from his head. Of course they were ok. She had to be. She was his whole life. Her and the kids, they were everything. At this point, if she had Carly, he'd kill her. He wouldn't be able to stop himself. He sped up and arrived at the Lakeview just as the medical unit arrived. They headed inside, through the lobby and past groups of teenagers there at the dance.

It was at this point that Parker and Faith stepped out of the ballroom and saw Jack, along with the other officers and the paramedics getting onto an elevator. Parker didn't have time to catch his dad before the doors closed.

"I wonder what's going on?" Faith said coming up behind him.

"I'm not sure. But something's wrong. First I think I see my mom here and now my dad is storming upstairs. That's too much of a coincidence, don't you think?"

"You don't know for sure that you saw your mom. Maybe you should give her a call. Just to see…" Faith suggested. "It might make you feel better." She gave his arm a rub.

Parker looked down at her and gave her a smile. "Yeah, maybe you're right." Parker dialed his mom but the call went to her voice mail. "She didn't answer," he told her as he hung up without leaving a message.

"Well, isn't it pretty late in Germany? She's probably in bed," Faith offered.

"Yeah. If that's really where she is," he said under his breath.

Jack and the rest of his group exited the elevator on the seventh floor and hurried down the hall to Daryl's room. He pulled his gun from it's holster. Jack didn't want to waste time knocking, so he just broke down the door. The room appeared empty upon entry.

"Daryl?" Jack called out. There was no answer. Jack walked toward the bathroom and saw the feet on the floor on the other side of the bed. He indicated to the other officers to check the rest of the room as he rushed over to find Daryl laying on the floor, unconscious.

"He's here," Jack said to the paramedics and stepped back to allow them access. "Is he going to be ok?" he asked as they quickly removed his jacket and shirt to reveal what looked like several stab wounds.

"One of these," the paramedic indicated, "looks like it may have punctured his lung. We need to get him to Memorial immediately."

Jack nodded and turned to the other officers. "You two stay here and search for any evidence. Fitzpatrick, you come with me."

Jack headed out of the room and back toward the elevators and up to Rosanna's suite. They arrived at her door and he banged on it. "Carly! Let me in." He waited. No answer. He closed his eyes for a moment and sent up a silent prayer that he didn't find her on the other side of the door in the same condition as Daryl (or worse) before he broke that door down too.

"Carly?" he called out as he cautiously entered the room. He immediately was hit by the smell of her. She'd been here. He'd missed her so much and smelling her perfume in the air momentarily put him in a haze. He looked around the room. He saw her slippers, magazines, her hair brush and other things scattered about the room. He shook his head to clear it and helped officer Fitzpatrick finish sweeping the room.

"She's not here," he said quietly to Jack, knowing he was stating the obvious.

Jack walked over to the chair and picked up one of her sweaters and held it up so he could inhale her scent. He closed his eyes as his heart clenched with fear. "Carly, where are you?" he whispered. Then he heard an electronic beep. He looked in the direction of the desk and saw her cell phone. He hurried over and picked it up. He noticed three missed calls. One from him, one from Rosanna and one from Parker. Why would Parker be calling, Jack thought to himself.

"What do you want to do now, detective?" asked Fitzpatrick.

Jack thought for a moment. The room didn't look like there'd been any sort of struggle in there, but Jack wanted to cover all his bases. "I'll take a look around here. You can go to Memorial and check on agent Sullivan's condition. Call me and let me know how he's doing."

"You got it."

He left Jack in the suite to conduct his search.

_Across town…_

Julia drove down the road as Carly sat tied and gagged in the back seat of the car. Julia was humming to herself as she made her way through the darkened streets of the town she'd once called home. She hadn't felt this happy in a long, long time. All the time she'd spent planning and waiting for just the right opportunity had finally paid off. Nearly all the pieces were in place. There was just a few more things needing to be done. She took a left at the next light.

Carly sat quietly in the back trying to come up with some sort of plan to get away from her. When Julia had turned the car at the light, Carly knew exactly where they were headed. Now all she needed to find out was why. She sat and thought about how she could get in touch with Jack or leave some sort of clue. Her hands were tied behind her and the strain it was putting on her stomach was becoming exceedingly uncomfortable. She twisted in an attempt to alleviate some of the pain when she realized that she had her watch on. If she could somehow get it undone and drop it somewhere Jack could find it, she knew he would. But Jack didn't even know she was here in Oakdale. They pulled up into the driveway of her house. Carly could see the place was dark and that Jack wasn't home. She doubt he'd be asleep since it was only a little after eight o'clock that night. He was probably at the station and had no clue what was going on. Julia turned off the car and got out. She opened the back door and reached for Carly. She tried sliding away from her and kicked at her, but with her hands tied she was unable to keep Julia off her for very long.

"You and I are going for a little walk," she said as she pulled Carly up to her feet. "But first, we need to leave a little something behind." She grabbed Carly's coat and pulled at it ripping off what she could. Because her hands were still tied, it was impossible to remove it completely. So, Julia pulled the knife out of her pocket. Carly panicked and attempted to get away, but Julia held firm and began to cut at the sleeves of the jacket with the knife. Unfortunately, the knife made contact during Carly's struggles and blood was drawn. Carly immediately froze and Julia seemed almost hypnotized by the sight of it. She smiled as she looked into Carly's face and she finished cutting the jacket free. They walked up to the house and Julia glanced at the new security system. She yanked the gag from Carly's mouth and said, "Code."

"Go to hell," Carly said glaring at her. There was no way she would allow her into their home.

"Maybe I didn't make myself clear earlier," she said holding the knife up in front of Carly's face. "I'm calling the shots and unless you're willing to sacrifice your baby's life, I suggest you give me the code… now!"

Carly stood defiantly and stared back at her. She had deduced that Julia clearly wanted something from her, otherwise she would have killed her already. No, she wouldn't harm Carly just yet. She didn't back down.

"So, you want to play it that way… fine by me. Let's go!" She yanked Carly off the porch and around to the side of the house and back up into the small wooded area behind it. They walked a good distance away, but the house was clearly visible from their location. "Since you're going to be difficult, we'll do this the hard way." And with that she turned Carly around and shoved her to her knees on the ground. With the handle of the knife in her fist, she hit her on the back of the head, knocking Carly out.


	35. Chapter 35

**Thirty-five**

Jack stood in Rosanna's suite on the phone with Margo. "Any news on Daryl's condition?" he asked.

"I haven't heard anything yet, but I'll let you know when I do. We'll find her Jack," Margo said trying to reassure him.

"The problem is that Julia is so unpredictable. You never know what she has planned."

"Carly's smart, Jack. If she's with Julia, she can handle things until we can get to her."

"Yes she is. I'll keep you posted on my end."

"Same here," Margo replied. "I've already put out an APB on Julia's car."

"Thanks Margo," he said as he hung up the phone.

Jack took a deep breath and looked around the suite for anything out of the ordinary. Though, honestly, everything was out of the ordinary given the fact that none of Carly's things should be there. They should be in Germany along with her. Instead, they were still here in Oakdale and Carly… he didn't know where she was. He walked over to the bed and sat down to look over the items on the nightstand. Her prenatal vitamins, a water bottle, her chapstick and the family picture she'd taken with her. He picked it up and smiled as he remembered the day the photo had been taken.

_It had been a few days before Christmas. JJ was home for the holidays and all five of them had headed to Old Town to do some last minute Christmas shopping. It was clear, but cold and they were all bundled up. They'd lined up and had a family photo taken per Sage's request before heading off in different directions. The kids had gone off on their own, while Carly and Jack had done mostly window shopping. They strolled along, hand in hand looking at all the holiday window displays. They bought a few things for the baby, since Carly had just found out what she was having. She was dying to tell Jack and it was driving her crazy that he didn't want to know._

"_Please Jack. I don't think that I can keep it a secret that long," giving him a look that normally resulted in getting what she wanted. _

_He looked back into those gorgeous blue eyes of hers and felt his resistance slipping away. Shaking his head, he leaned down and kissed the tip of her nose. "No. I want to be surprise," he said for what seemed like the millionth time in the last few days._

"_What are we going to do about names then?" Carly questioned._

"_We've already picked out names for each, remember sweetheart."_

"_Yes, but that was before I found out," Carly reasoned._

_Jack laughed. "What does that matter?"_

"_Don't you have a preference? I don't want you to be disappointed."_

"_Carly," he said stopping and lifting her chin to look directly into her eyes. "I'm going to be happy no matter what because this baby is ours. It's a part of you and a part of me. That's all that matters. I never wanted anyone else to be the mother of my children, only you. As long as both you and the baby are healthy… I'm happy."_

"_I love you," she said quietly as she wiped at a tear that threatened to escape._

"_I'd be thrilled with a boy, but don't you remember that I told you that I want lots of little girls that look exactly like their beautiful mommy," he said wrapping his arms around her as he nuzzled her neck._

"_How did I get so lucky?" she said with a sigh of pleasure._

"_We both got lucky," he said pulling back to look at her before leaning down to kiss those lips that consumed his thoughts._

_She kissed him back and nipped at his lower lip, eliciting a low moan from Jack. Grinning seductively, she looped her fingers through his belt loops and pulled him close. She knew his body like the back of her hand. Where to touch him, where to tease him, what drove him crazy with desire._

_He pulled back slowly, the burning desire evident in his heavy lidded eyes and the huskiness of his voice. "What are you trying to do to me?" he asked ducking into a little alcove between the shops, pulling her with him. It wasn't very discreet, but there were shrubs and holiday decorations that gave them a little bit of privacy. He turned her so her back was against the wall and the rest of the world disappeared. _

"_Do you want me to ravish you right here and now?" His breath was hot against the skin of her neck in contrast to the cold December air. Jack undid the lower buttons of her coat and slid his hands inside, grabbing her waist and pulling her snug against him. _

"_Mmmmmm, now there's a thought," she said breathlessly as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. _

_Jack moved his hands slowly over her back. He slid them up to her shoulders and back down and around where they lingered near the sides of her breasts. Carly inhaled sharply and held it as she waited for Jack to make his next move. He allowed his thumb to brush gently across one breast, hitting just the right spot. Her nipple hardened instantly at the contact. Jack watched her as her eyes closed and she exhaled and whispered his name._

_He recognized where things were headed and that he needed to stop before they escalated any further. He'd make sure they'd finish this later. He slid his hands back down to her waist and kissed her once more before pulling away. _

"_You are far too tempting," he said giving her a naughty smile._

"_Me?" she said with surprise. "Who was the one who ducked into this convenient hidey-hole?" she leveled back as she adjusted her shirt and buttoned her coat._

"_You knew exactly what would happen with that kiss of yours," he said leveling his eyes at her._

_She smiled wickedly as she stepped past him and back onto the sidewalk._

_He laughed as he turned and followed her, throwing his arm around her shoulder. He leaned down so only she could hear. "I'm going to finish what you started later tonight," he promised._

"_I hope so," she giggled._

They'd met up with the kids a short time later and stopped for hot chocolate at Java before heading home for dinner. And later that night, he'd kept his promise. Jack placed the photo back on the nightstand and continued looking around the room. Nothing. Absolutely nothing. The only odd thing, was that Carly left her cell phone behind. Thinking back to the cell phone, Jack remembered the missed call from Parker. Had she tried to call him? He looked through her phone history and saw nothing out of the ordinary. Calls to Rosanna, Lily and himself. She hadn't received any weird phone calls either. No unknown numbers or ones he didn't recognize. Parker was at the dance tonight, why would he call Carly? There's only one way to find out, he thought to himself.

Parker and Faith were in the ballroom seated at a table with friends laughing about an incident that happened at school earlier in the week. Parker felt his phone and reached into his pocket to see if it was his mother calling back. He was it was his dad and he excused himself to go to answer it.

"Hey dad. What's up?"

"Hi Parker. Sorry to bother you at the dance. Is everything going ok?"

"Yeah. Faith and I are having a good time. Is that why you called?"

"Yes and no. I'm sorry I didn't get to see you before you left. Lily tells me that she took lots of pictures, though."

"That is an understatement. I think I'm still seeing spots," he laughed. "I'm sure mom will be thrilled with all of them."

"Actually, speaking of your mom," Jack began. Now that he got to it, he didn't know how to broach the subject without worrying Parker. He should have thought about that first.

"What about mom?" Parker asked. Jack could immediately detect the concern in his voice.

"I was wondering if you got a chance to talk to her before the dance. You know, I thought she might call you. She was really disappointed to be missing it," Jack explained.

"No, she didn't call. I talked to her last night about the dance."

"So, you didn't call her today?" Jack asked not so subtlety.

"What's going on, dad? Are you still here at the Lakeview?"

"How did you know I was at the Lakeview?"

"I saw you when I was out in the lobby looking for…" Parker trailed off not wanting to mention that he thought he'd seen his mother in town. If his mother was in town and she told everyone she was leaving with aunt Rosanna, Parker was afraid of how his dad would react.

"When you were looking for?" Jack questioned.

"Um, when I was looking for Faith."

"Oh. And that's it?"

"Yeah. So, are you still here?"

"Yes. I received a call. I'm going to be heading back to the station though."

"Is everything ok?" Parker could tell something was bothering his dad. "Is mom ok?"

Jack swallowed. He didn't know what to say. In his heart, he felt her with him, but he didn't know where she was or what kind of situation she was in. "I'm sure she's fine and anxious to come home."

Parker knew his dad was keeping something from him, but he wasn't going to be able to get that from him over the phone. "Yeah, I'm sure she'll be happy to be home," he said appeasing his father.

Jack sighed and was grateful that the conversation wasn't going any further. "Alright. Well, have a good rest of your night and don't get Faith home too late."

"I won't." Parker didn't even want to think about facing Holden if he did.

"I'll call you tomorrow. Love you," Jack said before hanging up.

"Love you too." Parker hung up his phone just as Faith walked up.

"Is everything alright? Was that your mom calling back?"

"No. My dad. He asked me about her though. It was odd. I think something's wrong."

Faith could see how concerned he was about his mom. She loved that he was so protective of her. Although, Faith had seen the difficult times between them too. But even throughout all of that, he'd never really stopped loving his mom. His devotion to her and the rest of his family was one of the things that Faith admired most about him. "What are you going to do?" she asked.

"My dad is still here. I'm going to wait and see if I can catch him as he leaves. He said he was heading back to the station."

"You just spoke with him, though. What difference will seeing him make?"

"I can't see his face over the phone and I need to know if something has happened." "Well, now's your chance. He just got off the elevator," Faith pointed out.

Sure enough, Jack was walking through the lobby toward the front entrance. Before he could change his mind, Parker called out to him.

"Dad! Wait, dad." Jack turned around and saw Parker heading towards him. He smiled at seeing the young man walking up to him. He's not a little kid anymore that's for sure, Jack thought. "Hey buddy. You look good," Jack grinned. He could see Carly's influence in his suit. Faith came up along side Parker. "And Faith, you look beautiful," Jack said sincerely admiring Carly's creation. His stomach twisted with the fear of the unknown.

"Thank you," she blushed as Parker looked down at her at his father's words and nodded his head.

"I didn't mean to take you away from the dance," Jack apologized.

"You didn't. I needed some fresh air anyway," Parker said. "I wanted just to check with you again to make sure nothing's wrong."

Jack shifted uncomfortably and knew his body language was giving him away. "Nothing for you to worry about," he said quickly.

"Dad… I know there's something you're not telling me. Come on, I can handle it."

"You know my friend Daryl? Well, someone attacked him tonight. He's at Memorial. They don't know how serious it is."

"What? No! We just saw him earlier," Parker said stunned.

"You did? When?" asked. Knowing a more concrete timeline could only help him in his search.

"It was around 7:30pm, I think. Maybe a little closer to eight."

"Craig was talking to him when we showed up," Faith added.

"Craig," Jack rolled his eyes. "Do you know what they were talking about?"

"Not really. I heard Rosanna's name mentioned, but that's about it." Parker looked at his dad. "You don't think Craig had something to do with Daryl's attack, do you?"

"No. Although, we have to look at every possibility. Is there anything else you can think of?" Jack asked hopeful.

"Nope. I think that's it," Parker said shrugging his shoulders.

"Well, other than you thought you saw your mom," Faith offered.

Parker glared at her and shook his head.

"You saw your mom?" A jumble of emotions flew through Jack. "Why didn't you say something earlier?" he asked angrily.

"Because I knew this was how you would react!" Parker answered back, his voice raising in anger. "If mom is lying about being in Germany, you'll get mad and leave again. Why did you have to mention that?" he said turning his anger toward Faith.

"I thought you told him," she said softly. "I'm sorry Parker. Please don't be mad at me," she pleaded.

"Oh Parker." Jack felt horrible. He knew Parker had been hesitant about Jack and Carly getting back together for this very reason. Obviously, he was worried that they would fall back into old habits. While Jack wasn't happy about Carly staying in Oakdale, he had to admit to himself that he wasn't all that surprised by it either. "I'm not going to leave, Parker. I love your mother, but this is important," Jack said grabbing his arm and turning him to face him. He needed to find out everything. If Parker had seen Carly then maybe she was alright. "When did you see your mom?"

"I didn't say I saw her - I thought I saw her. I wasn't sure. I tried calling her, but she didn't answer her phone. So, I assumed that it wasn't her and she was asleep. In Germany," he added.

"When was this? Think Parker, it's important!"

Parker looked at his dad. "Is mom in trouble? Do you think she's here in Oakdale?"

Jack sighed and realized that he had to tell Parker the truth. "Yes, she's in Oakdale. Rosanna told me earlier tonight. She's been staying in Rosanna's suite."

"Why? Why didn't she go with her to Germany?"

"I don't know. I guess it was because she didn't want to leave us and she was worried about being that pregnant in a foreign country and away from her doctor. But that's not the issue right now. When did you see your mom?" "I guess it was about a half-hour ago. I called her right afterward, so I can check my phone." He pulled it out of his pocket and his outgoing records showed he made a call to Carly at 8:33pm, just a little over a half hour ago.

"What did you see?" Jack asked, trying to get every detail he could.

"We were dancing," Parker said indicating to Faith, "and I could sense someone looking at me. I turned around and thought I saw mom standing in the doorway here in the lobby." Parker walked over to where he'd seen Carly. "She was standing here. I tried to find her, but she was gone. Do you think something happened to her?"

Jack could see the fear in Parker's eyes. He didn't want to lie to him, but he didn't want to make him panic for no reason. He decided to be honest. Parker was old enough to handle it. Besides, he was wanting to become a police officer himself. "I don't know where your mom is. She doesn't have her phone on her. She must have left it in the room when she came down to see you. I'm sure it was too hard for her to resist the opportunity." Jack looked into Parker's eyes and resigned himself to admit what he didn't want to voice out loud.

"I have a feeling that the person who attacked Daryl tonight, has your mom."

_Meanwhile, in Milltown…_

Julia grabbed the items out of the trunk of her car and headed to the house. Since _she_ refused to give her the access code, she'd just have to do it the hard way. Thankfully, since she knew the house so well, it wouldn't be much of an issue. Once she broke into the house, she'd have maybe 8 minutes to put the devices in place and get out of there before he arrived. She knew he would have figured out that she was behind the attack at the Lakeview. What she was uncertain about was whether or not he was aware that she was in possession of _her_. She was pretty sure that Jack believed that _she_ was in Germany along with _her_ sister. However, _she'd_ lied to him. Again! This was just another lie among all _her_ others and it reinforced in her mind that _she_ was not worthy of Jack's love. Obviously, he needed help in learning that. Julia would do just that. He'd realize that once he was rid of _her_ permanently that he could be with someone who really appreciated him. She smiled knowing that she was that person.

She took a deep breath, focused and broke open the door. Immediately the alarm went off and she went to work, placing the devices at just the right support spots in the house. She made sure to leave one out in the open on the cocktail table in plain view so that those arriving knew exactly what they were dealing with. She got it all done and was out of the house and running back to the wooded area where she'd left _her_. Far enough away not to be seen, but close enough to still be in range with the remote she had in her pocket.

_Back at the Lakeview…_

As Jack spoke with Parker and tried to ease his fears about his mom's disappearance, he received a phone call from the station.

"Snyder," he answered.

"Jack, it's Margo. We just received notice that the alarm system at your house has gone off. The security company is sending people over along with the 3 units I've dispatched."

"I'm on my way," he said hanging up the phone. "I've got to go," he said to Parker.

"Is it mom?"

"I don't know, but I need to check it out. I don't want this to ruin your night," he said feeling guilty that he'd done just that. "And thank you Faith."

"For what?"

"For letting it slip about Carly and for being her for Parker. He needs you," he smiled. "And don't be mad at her Parker. Getting that information is a good thing, you'll see. Try and have a good time the rest of the night."

"We will," Faith assured him with a smile. "Come on," she said to Parker. "We can leave if you want, or we can go and sit and just talk, if you want to do that."

"Take care of mom," Parker called to his dad.

"I will. I promise," he said as he ran to his car and made his way home.


	36. Chapter 36

**Thirty-six**

Julia meandered her way back to where she'd left _her_. She knew she didn't have long to wait as she could hear the sirens in the distance. She walked up the little hill which had a nice vantage point of the house below. She walked over to where _she_ was lying on the ground and stared at _her_ for a moment. If _she_ wasn't carrying his child, she would have killed _her_ already. Unfortunately, at this point, _she_ was still necessary. Though Julia knew that wouldn't be for too much longer.

She knelt down and rolled _her_ over. She had no clue why Jack was so obsessed by this woman. What was it about _her_ that possessed him so? _She'd_ broken his heart time and time again and still he always came crawling back to _her_. If Julia didn't know any better, she'd swear _she_ was a witch and had cast some sort of magic spell on him. Well, she'd show _her_. She'd get Jack back and more. Glaring at _her_, she slapped her cheek to rouse _her_.

Carly raised a hand to her cheek. What the hell was going on? She blinked a few times, uncertain of her surroundings. It was dark, cold and she was outside lying on the ground. Her head was throbbing uncontrollably, both on her cheek and at the back of her head. She couldn't remember why or how she'd gotten there.

"Up!" a familiar voice snarled. Carly blinked a few more times and focused on the face speaking to her. Memories of the night came flooding back along with the fear. Carly glanced around and realized that they were still near her house. She slowly sat up, reaching for the back of her head to try and stop the pounding. It ached from where Julia had hit her. As she got to her feet she heard the sirens. They were getting louder, which meant they were getting closer. She turned to try and locate them.

"Don't get any wise ideas," Julia said. "Jack may be on his way, but you won't be seeing him any time soon."

Carly stared daggers at Julia as she chose her next words carefully. "No matter where you go or what you do… if you hurt me or this baby, Jack will kill you."

Julia laughed. "Trust me, Jack will get over it. Sure, he'll be upset at first. But you left him before and he moved on. He'll do it again. For now though, I need to keep you quiet. At least until you're needed. Now be good," she said as she spun her around and grabbed her hands.

Carly fought back yanking away from her and took off down the hill as quickly and as carefully as she could. However, Julia was quicker and she caught up with her. She ran in front of her and blocked her way. Holding up the knife she'd pulled out earlier, she took a menacing step towards Carly.

"Don't force me to hurt that child," she warned her. "I won't think twice about it." Carly didn't answer her, but Julia could tell she was giving up the fight. At least for now. She grabbed her arms again, harder this time and tied them up behind Carly's back. She then proceeded to place a gag in her mouth.

The sirens were very loud now. Julia turned around and saw the procession of vehicles pulling up the street. She smiled. This was perfect. She'd have a large audience for the show she had planned. She watched as they got out of their cars and waited for instructions. It was then that they both saw him. Jack stepped out of his car and hurried over to give orders to the other officers. Now was the time. Julia took a cell phone out of her pocket, dialed and waited.

Carly watched her. She was standing with her back to her. She quickly looked around to see if there was anyway she could get away from her without being caught. Slowly she took a step, careful not to make a sound. But then Carly suddenly stopped when she heard Julia speak.

* * *

Jack arrived at his house in record time. The car that he and Daryl discovered was Julia's was parked in the driveway and the lights were on in the house. He was giving instructions to the other officers, when his phone rang. "Hold on a minute," he said gruffly to the other officers. Who the hell could be calling him at this moment?

"Snyder."

"Hello Jack."

Jack stopped breathing. A warning of danger tickled his spine instantly. He motioned for the other officers to hold back for a moment before proceeding with their orders. As calmly as he could he responded. "Julia," he said quietly.

"I'm touched that you remember the sound of my voice. It's been such a long time since we last talked," she said sickeningly sweet.

"Yes, it's been a long time. So are you still here in town?"

"Oh Jack," she laughed. "Always the cop. So I guess this means we're done with the pleasantries. That's not really what you want to know though, is it? Don't you really want to ask me if I've seen Carly? "

Jack swallowed. He already knew the answer by her response. A part of him was terrified to hear her say it aloud, but he had to know. "Where is she, Julia?" Jack was sure that all the officers around him could hear his heart pounding in his chest, for it was thumping loudly in his own ears.

Julia smiled. Everything was playing out exactly the way she'd planned. "Would you like to talk with her?" she offered.

Jack exhaled the breath he hadn't realized he was holding. The need to hear her voice consumed him. He would be able to tell if she was ok when he heard her voice. "Yes. Yes, I would like to speak to Carly," he said his voice cracking with emotion. He had no idea how long he'd get to speak with her and so he would need to be careful with he said and the questions he asked.

"Give us just a second. You see, she's a bit tied up at the moment," Julia chuckled. She turned around and walked over to Carly. Leaning in, she gave her a warning. "If you try and tell him where you are or give him any information… you and your baby will regret it."

Jack heard the exchange and rage tore through him as he began to pace. He had to find Carly. The thought of her at the mercy of that lunatic scared the hell out of him. There were some muffled sounds and then a long, excruciating silence. Then he heard her voice.

"Jack?" Carly whispered tentatively.

He breathed a huge sigh of relief. She didn't sound hurt or in pain, but he could detect the fear and anxiousness in her voice. She was scared.

"Carly, I'm here baby. Has she hurt you?"

"No," she said glancing at Julia. Since Carly's hands were still tied, she was holding the phone. "I'm sorry Jack," Carly said as the emotion of the moment began to overwhelm her. "I'm so sorry that I lied to you about going with Rosanna," she cried as the tears filled her eyes.

"Oh honey, don't worry about that right now. It's not important." Hearing her cry was breaking his heart and further increasing the desperation he was feeling to find her. He needed to figure out where she was and how he was going to rescue her. "I'm not going to let her hurt you or the baby. I promise you that," he told her fiercely.

At that moment, Julia snatched the phone away from Carly and placed the gag back in her mouth. "You shouldn't make promises you can't keep, Jack. I would have thought you'd have learned that lesson by now," Julia sneered.

Anger consumed Jack. "If you hurt her Julia, I will find you and I will kill you. And don't worry, that's a promise I _will_ keep," he seethed.

"Promises, promises. You've promised lots of things to me in the past Jack, but how many have you actually kept? Hmmm? How many? I can tell you… NONE," she yelled. She quickly smoothed her hair back out of her face. She was too close to achieving her goal to loose control of her emotions. She reigned herself in. "But that's in the past. Let's get down to business, shall we."

"What do you want?" Jack growled.

"I want what was stolen from me. _She_ took you and my baby away. Now, it's time I returned the favor." She turned to face Carly and a jolt of pleasure shot through her at seeing the other woman's face. She was terrified and that made Julia very, very happy.

The color drained from Jack's face. How was he supposed to be able to negotiate anything with this woman when what she was demanding was absolutely out of the question? Jack would never sacrifice his child to this woman. He'd gladly give his own life for Carly and the baby, however.

"Julia," he began. "If you want me - you got it. Just let me know when and where and you can let Carly go and I'll go with you," he said trying to reason with her.

"Ah, well you see - that's not what I asked for Jack. Carly also took my baby. _Our_ baby. An eye for an eye," she said smiling maliciously at Carly.

Carly started back up slowly, trying to put as much distance between herself and Julia as she could. But Julia was having none of that. "I don't think so," she snarled. "You need to have a seat." She pushed Carly down to her knees on the soft, damp ground.

Carly's mind raced. She needed to get away or somehow get Jack's attention. She could see him through the tears in her eyes at the end of their driveway. It had been a long week since she'd last laid eyes on him. She thought of their last night together and his kiss goodbye at the suite. She shook her head to clear those thoughts. She needed to focus. She felt her watch again. Since her hands were concealed behind her back, she could possibly get it off without Julia noticing what she was up to. She fiddled with it and finally got the clasp loose and it dropped to the ground.

Jack motioned for the officers. He quietly relayed the information that a few were to go around back and the others were to follow him in.

Julia noticed that Jack was making a move toward the house and gave him a warning. "I don't want the other officers coming in Jack. Just you. If you want your baby to live, you'll do as I say."

Jack immediately called off the other officers. "Fine Julia, we'll play this your way. I'm coming in alone," he said as he hung up the phone. Jack gave new instructions. He was going to go in to exchange himself for Carly. Once Carly was clear, the other officers had their orders to do whatever it might take to bring Julia down. A few of them voiced their hesitancy at such an extreme measure and worried about Jack's safety, but that was the least of his concern. Jack reiterated by any force necessary - whatever the cost.

Up on the hill, Julia and Carly watched as Jack slowly approached the house. They couldn't see the front door, however. Julia knew her timing had to be perfect. Carly watched as Jack disappeared around the corner and tried twisting to see him, but with no luck. Julia closed her eyes and counted.

Jack, with his gun drawn, slowly entered his house. The living room was clear upon first sight. He glanced around and listened for any movement coming from the kitchen or from one of the rooms upstairs. Dead silence was all that greeted him. He noticed Carly's jacket on the sofa. He slowly walked over to get a better look. It was torn and he could see what looked like blood on one of the sleeves. Anger and fear twisted his stomach in knots. He picked up the jacket and was surprised by what was underneath. A crude bomb was sitting there on the sofa.

* * *

Carly knelt there on the ground straining to figure out what was going on. He knees were numb and her hands were tingling with the loss of circulation. Julia turned her attention on her once again. She pulled from another pocket a strange hand held device that looked like some sort of remote control, along with what looked like a walkie-talkie.

"This is a detonator," she informed Carly as she indicated to the odd device. "That house has bombs set up all throughout it. This is a walkie-talkie. The other one is in the house. Do you think you have time to warn Jack before I detonate all five bombs?"

Carly tried frantically to get loose from her bindings as Julia reached out and removed the gag from her mouth as she held the button on the walkie-talkie.

"Jack! Jack! Get out it's a trap!" Carly yelled as loud as she could. Julia pushed a button.

* * *

"Carly? Julia?" Jack called out walking away from the sofa and heading toward the stairs. He heard a muffled voice calling his name right before the explosion. He was near the front door as the first bomb went off upstairs. The force of the blast knocked him down but he was still conscious. "Carly! Nooooo," he yelled stumbling to his feet and trying to make it to the stairs as another explosion ripped through the back of the house, knocking him down once more. This time, the foundation took a direct hit and beams began to crack. Debris, drywall and other items came crashing down on top of him.

The other officers waiting outside were completely stunned by the first explosion and weren't sure at first what had happened. Smoke and fire was billowing from one of the windows upstairs as the second explosion rocked the back of the house. Officer Hopkins ran into the house looking for Jack, Carly and anyone else he could find. Officer Fitzpatrick followed. The other officer called dispatch immediately requesting fire aid and an ambulance.

* * *

Meanwhile, back on the hill, Julia was enjoying the show. She was admiring her handy work. The bombs had been placed just so, in order to produce the desired affect. She saw the 2 officers make a dash for the house, but lost track of them as the smoke from the fire was pouring out of the house. She waited a little bit longer and pressed the next button setting off the third.

Carly knelt there on the cold ground, screaming for Jack and looking on helplessly as she watched her house burn. Tears streaming down her eyes, she struggled to get to her feet. Julia noticed and they struggled. Julia tried to shove her back down but only ended up causing Carly to trip and fall backwards. Since her hands were still tied, she tried to twist, so that she didn't land on her back and break her arms. She hoped to land on her side, but the ground was damp and slick and Carly fell forward with most of her momentum causing her to land on her stomach. She cried out in pain as she rolled over and off the baby. Julia detonated the fourth bomb.

* * *

Hopkins and Fitzpatrick reached an unconscious Jack just as the fourth explosion rocked the house. They pulled Jack out of the way just as one of the major support beams broke and nearly fell on him. The smoke was thick and it was making it hard to see and breathe. They carried Jack from the house as the last bomb exploded. The concussion from the blast knocked all three of them to the ground.

* * *

Carly lay on the ground in pain. Her stomach was cramping and she was pretty sure her water had broken from the impact of the fall. But that wasn't what hurt the most. Her heart was breaking. Jack had been in the house. The house that was once two stories was now reduced to barely one and the smoke and fire lent one to believe that no one could have survived.

Julia stood staring at the results of her destruction. The house that she had once called home with Jack was in ruins… just the way her life was after Carly had destroyed everything. Revenge was sweet!


	37. Chapter 37

Thirty-seven

Jack walked into the house and set his keys on the desk. He picked up the mail and absentmindedly thumbed through it. The house was quiet as he peered around the living room. Carly's sketch book was lying on the coffee table next to her coffee mug.

"Carly, I'm home." He made his way toward the kitchen. He could smell something. As he turned the corner into the kitchen, he saw smoke spilling out from the stove as it erupted into flames. The smoke stung his eyes and burned his throat, causing him to cough and gag.

"Carly!" Jack yelled as he ran back into the living room. The fire had spread and the whole place was ablaze. Jack noticed Carly's sketch book on the table, now reduced to ash sitting next to the pristine mug.

"Jack! Help me, Jack!" she screamed.

He heard her voice coming from upstairs. "Carly! I'm coming, honey!" He fought his way toward the stairs through the fire. The air was completely filled with the black smoke. It filled his lungs as he ran causing him to cough and choke. He took the first steps two at a time as was about half way up when the floor collapsed. He fell into the darkness.

"Carly… Nooooooooo!" Jack sat up quickly, gasping for air as he coughed. The taste of smoke still fresh in his mouth. His eyes hurt and he squeezed them shut in order to try and stop them from watering. He rubbed them and noticed the blood on his hands. He touched his forehead and grimaced. He had a huge gash and it was still oozing blood. He didn't have time to think about that though. He took a look around. His house was smoking as the firemen stood with the hoses attempting to get it under control. Fear and panic engulfed him.

"Oh my God… Carly!" he choked out as he scrambled to his feet. His left shoulder seared in pain, but he ignored it as he stumbled forward. One of the firemen grabbed him as he began running toward the burning house. "Carly… Carly!"

"Detective! You can't go in there yet," the fireman tried to reason with him.

"My wife is in there," he yelled back, shoving him away. Hopkins appeared next to him and grabbed an arm while the other fireman continued to struggle to hold the other one.

"The building is too unstable and we need to put the fire out," he explained.

However Jack wasn't interested in details. Carly was in there and he was going to get her. He stopped struggling for a moment and the grips on his arms loosened just enough so that Jack was able to push past the men and run toward the house.

_Meanwhile…_

Julia had thoroughly enjoyed the massive destruction she caused. Unfortunately she wasn't able to admire her handy work for long. During her struggle, Carly had fallen and the impact had caused much discomfort to her. Julia pulled her to her feet and pulled her along through the wooded area. The woman was weak, because she was having to stop every so often.

"Come on!" she yelled at her. "If you don't quit stalling, I'm just going to kill you now and be done with it."

Carly moaned in pain, trying her best to keep moving and not let on to Julia that she was in labor. However, that's exactly what was going on. She tried to keep her mind clear and focus on trying to figure out a way out of this mess. Her mind kept drifting back to Jack and their house, though. Images of him lying unconscious and bloody came to mind when she closed her eyes. With the contraction over, she started walking again and decided to possibly distract Julia by talking to her.

"I thought you loved Jack," she began.

"What?" Julia snarled as she spun around to face her.

"I said, I thought you loved Jack. Why would you do that to him, if you loved him?" she asked breathing hard.

"I do love Jack. More than you could possible know or understand. YOU have never loved anyone but yourself. How dare you question my love for him!" she spat.

"Then why? I don't understand. You're just leaving him," Carly cried.

"Jack has plenty of people to help him right now. Weren't you paying attention. I told Jack that I wanted to take from you what you took from me." She walked closer to Carly. "You took my husband and my baby. Once I take your baby, Jack will be mine for the taking," she said calmly as if it made all the sense in the world.

"I am not letting you have my baby. You will never, ever touch this child."

"You seem to forget that I'm in control here," she sneered. "Now, let's keep moving or it will be a moot point." She yanked Carly along as they continued their trek through the woods.

_Milltown…_

Jack made it to where the front door used to be. It had been completely blown off it's hinges and all that remained was the door frame. The house was still on fire and the smoke made it nearly impossible to see. Jack started to walk through the door frame when two sets of hands grabbed him and dragged him back to where the paramedics were set up.

"Jack you need to let them do their job," said a familiar voice coming up from behind. Jack turned to see Margo making her way through the crowd.

"Carly is in there, Margo! I heard her call my name right before the first blast. We're wasting time. I've got to get in there and save her," Jack said desperately, still being held by Hopkins and one of the firemen.

"That's not your job, Jack. The fire unit is going to check the house. They just needed to make sure it was safe enough for them to enter."

"We don't have that kind of time," Jack argued. "Carly is in there and she needs me… Now!"

"Look… they're sending people in now," Margo pointed out to Jack.

He turned to look and sure enough 4 of the firemen were entering the house. Jack shook off the arms holding him and took a few small steps in the direction of the house.

Margo reached out and put an arm on his shoulder. "If she's in there, they'll find her," she told him.

"I heard her, Margo. She called out for me," his voice cracked. He closed his eyes as he heard her voice echoing in his mind. Guilt ate at him. For as long as he lived he would never forget the sound of her calling his name as the house exploded.

"I've got to go in there," he said as he started walking toward the house again.

"You're in no condition to do that. Why don't you let one of the paramedics take a look at you?" Margo suggested.

Jack spun around ignoring the pain shooting through his arm and the throbbing pain in his head. He leveled his eyes at Margo and said, "I'm going in there. Don't try and stop me again." He turned away from her and marched up into the house.

Margo closed her mouth and knew better than to say anything.

_Elsewhere…_

Carly and Julia made their way on foot to the other side of the woods. Julia walked over to what looked like an abandoned car and proceeded to open the trunk and place the bag that had once held the explosive devices inside. She then unlocked the doors and opened the back one saying,

"Get in."

Carly had felt better about her situation while she was on foot. Their pace was slow and hindered and Carly figured it would give people time to catch up to them. If she got into the car, all that changed. She had to stall somehow. "Can you please untie my hands? My shoulders are aching and I don't think I could sit in the car with them tied behind me."

Julia glared at her. "Why in the world would you think I would care about your comfort?"

"I'm having a hard time breathing… please," Carly said weakly, playing her part for all it was worth. She bent over and grimaced. Then she felt an actual contraction and she doubled over for real. The pain of it took her breath away and she fought like crazy not to let on what was actually happening.

Julia watched her, clearly trying to decide whether or not to untie her. She scowled as she yanked Carly around, pulled out the knife and began to the cut the bindings.

Carly breathed steadily as she battled through the contraction and was grateful that Julia was feeling magnanimous. Once the bindings were off, all the blood rushed back into her arms. It was almost painful, it felt so good. She let out a huge sigh of relief and shook them out gently as the contraction subsided.

"Now give me your hands," Julia ordered.

"What? You just untied them," Carly said looking horrified.

"Do you think I'm crazy?"

_Was that a trick question? _Carly thought to herself. "What do you mean?" she replied instead.

"I'm not about to leave you untied," she explained.

"What am I going to do? I'm pregnant and unarmed, Julia. I'm pretty sure you still have the upper hand."

"Regardless, I can't afford to make any mistakes. Now, let's get this done so we can get out of here," she said reaching for her arms again.

"At least let me go to the bathroom," Carly thought up quickly.

"You can't be serious. You're just trying to stall and it's not going to work," she yelled. She was getting extremely agitated and Carly knew she was pressing her luck, but she had to try.

"I'm pregnant Julia. I always have to go to the bathroom. Would you rather I went in the back of the car?" she said sarcastically.

"What I want…" Julia said coming up and grabbing the back of her hair and yanking her head back, "… is for you to quit stalling! No one is going to find you. Not Margo, certainly not Daryl and definitely not your precious G-Man!" she sneered.

Carly refused to cry out in pain as she held her head back. She would not give her the satisfaction. "Please, just let me go to the bathroom and then we can go wherever you want to," she pleaded. Carly could see the rage behind her eyes.

"You have two minutes," she said, her voice deadly calm. "Don't even think about trying to trick me or run away, because if you do," she said stepping closer. "I will kill you and your baby first and then I'll hunt down the rest of your kids and do the same to them," she finished.

Carly stared at her as tears fell on her cheeks. She knew how much Julia hated her and blamed her for everything that had gone wrong in her life, but this was the first time she'd mentioned doing harm to Parker, Sage or JJ. "I won't. I promise," she whispered. "Please don't. Please don't hurt my children," she cried. "They're not a part of this. This is between you and me, not them," Carly sobbed as she wiped the tears streaking down her face.

"As long as you keep your word, then they'll have nothing to worry about. _For as good as that's worth_," Julia added, muttering under her breath. "Now hurry up!"

Carly collected herself and made her way behind a clump of trees not far from the car. She had to act fast. She needed to leave behind something. She pulled off her shoes and socks and then quickly put her shoes back on. She also ripped a part of the hem off her shirt and left it on the ground. She did actually have to go to the bathroom and did so before joining Julia again. On her way back, she nonchalantly dropped one of her socks behind her as she walked toward the car just as Julia was about to come and get her. She'd tucked the other sock in her pocket to try and discard later.

"I was just about to come find you," Julia said as she walked up to her. She had new rope to tie her hands and proceeded to do just that. Once she was satisfied with that she opened the back door and roughly helped Carly into the backseat.

"Where are we going?" Carly asked.

"That's none of your concern. I haven't put that gag back in your mouth, but I can at any moment, so I suggest you keep you mouth shut," she warned her.

Carly shook her head in confirmation and it was just as well, for another contraction started and she winced at the intensity of it. She concentrated on breathing and on keeping her baby safe for as long as possible.

_Back at Milltown…_

Jack stepped into the rubble that littered what was once his living room. There were still spots where the house was still smoldering, but the main fire had been put out. The upper half of the staircase was gone making it impossible to get up to what little was left of the second floor. Jack stepped over broken glass and wood looking for anything and anyone and dreading what he'd find. Everything was black and gray from the fire and the smoke. Jack walked toward the dinning table which, remarkably, was still intact. Something light caught his eye under the debris in the corner. He quickly stepped around the toppled chairs and pulled it out from underneath a piece of wood. It was the baby blanket that Emma had made when she'd heard he and Carly were going to have another child. Jack couldn't swallow. The emotions of the night caught up with him as he squeezed his eyes shut and gripped the blanket tightly to his chest. Tears fell as he shook his head to clear the images racing through his mind. His chest was tight, he couldn't breath. "No," he said quietly. "No Carly, you're not gone." He opened his eyes and desperation took over. He placed the blanket on the table and began moving everything in his attempt to find her. "Carly!" he shouted and he wildly moved about the room tossing things aside. "Carly, can you hear me?"

One of the fireman quickly came over to try and prevent him from doing more damage to the unstable structure. "Detective! You can't do that. You could send the rest of the structure down, if you're not careful," he warned him.

"My wife is in here. I will take you out if _you're_ not careful," Jack said grabbing him by the jacket and shoving him aside. "Now help me find her!" he ordered.

The search lights were set up outside and directed toward the center of the house. Everyone was also equipped with flashlights as they searched through the wreckage in the dark of night. They dug through the rubble for what seemed like an eternity to Jack. They didn't find anything that led them to believe that Carly had been in the house when the explosion took place.

"Are you sure you heard her voice coming from inside the house?" Margo asked.

Jack sighed heavily as he rubbed his face. He was exhausted emotionally and drained physically. "Yes, Margo. I heard her voice coming from upstairs." He looked up again, for what seemed like the hundredth time. He could see the sky from his living in places. The breeze was picking up and that's when he noticed it. Dangling from the floor above was the blanket from the foot of their bed. It was all tangled up, but it held something with an electronic light. He grabbed a broken beam from the floor and made his way over until he stood underneath it. He swung the beam and knocked whatever it was from the blanket to the floor.

Margo walked over and picked it up. Turning it over and examining it. She tossed it to him. "It's a walkie-talkie. Is it one of the kids'?"

"No," he said looking at it. "I'll bet it was Julia's."

"She wanted you to think Carly was inside," Margo deduced.

"She was with her though. I spoke to Carly right before I entered the house," he said thinking back to the course of events that night. "Has anyone found anything else outside the house?"

"Hopkins has four guys with him and they're combing the outside of your house along with a portion of the wooded area behind it. If something is out there, they'll find it."

"She must have been close by. These things don't have that great of range. Besides, Julia would have wanted to watched the destruction."

"Jack!," yelled one of the officers.

Jack hurried over to where the officer was standing. Fitzpatrick was holding a flashlight in the direction of the ground. Jack looked down and noticed two separate sets of shoe prints in the wet ground leading away from the house. There was no way to be certain that one of them was Carly's, but Jack knew in his heart that it was. For the first time in several hours, Jack felt a glimmer of hope.

"We need to follow these to see where they lead."

"Hopkins, you and Murray can go with Jack. Have Fitzpatrick take this walkie-talkie and the jacket Jack found earlier back to the station. I want this," she said indicating to the walkie-talkie, "… to be dusted for prints. Have the lab run tests on the jacket to see whose blood it is. And have them put a rush on it," she added as officer Hopkins hurried to do this request before joining Jack in following the tracks.

"Margo, can you call Lily and let her know what's going on. Don't give her too much information, though. And whatever you do, make sure to tell her not to let the kids know what's going on. I need to be the one to talk to them about it."

"You got it Jack," she said patting him on the back. "Are you sure you don't want a doctor to check you out? That's a nasty cut on your forehead."

"I'll deal with that later," he said wiping his head with the sleeve of his jacket.

"At least let them check you out to make sure you don't have a concussion," Margo said.

"Why? What if I do? It won't stop me from looking for Carly. The only thing that does is waste time," he said getting angry. "What the hell is taking Hopkins so damn long?"

"He's coming Jack," Margo informed him as she saw Hopkins and Murray heading this way. "Let me know if you find anything."

"I will," Jack said trying to calm down. He knew in the back of his mind that none of this was Margo's fault, but he wasn't able to be rational right now. Once he found Carly and made sure she and the baby were ok, then there would be time for that. Until then, nothing else mattered.


	38. Chapter 38

**Thirty-eight**

Daryl blinked a couple of times and winced as the pain in his back registered in his mind. He felt extremely stiff and sore and was very disoriented. Where the hell was he? He opened his eyes again and looked around. The distinct beeping of the monitors, along with the stark walls and floor told him he was in the hospital. Thoughts about his last conscious moments came back to him. He'd been attacked and he remembered coming to and calling Rosanna. Obviously she'd been able to get a hold of Jack or he'd been lucky and someone had found him before it had been too late. Regardless, he was thankful to still be here. Now, however, he needed to talk to Jack and find out what's been going on. He tried pushing himself up to a sitting position and then cried out in pain. The monitors started beeping loudly and a nurse rushed in to see what was happening.

"I'm sorry," Daryl said weakly to the nurse as she hurried to his bedside. "I was just trying to sit up," he explained.

"Well, you might not want to do that without some assistance," she explained. "You have stitches in your back and one of your lungs collapsed." She helped him lay back down and handed him the controller for the bed. "If you want to sit up, I suggest you use this instead," she said smiling. "The police department is going to be very happy to hear you've woken up. I'll go and give them a call now. I'll also send the doctor in so he can make sure you didn't pull any of those stitches."

"Thanks," Daryl said returning her smile. Just that small amount of movement took a lot out of him. How in the hell was he going to help Jack when he couldn't even sit up on his own?

After a few minutes the doctor came in to take a look at him. He ran a series of tests and checked his stitches. After making a few notations in his chart, he sat down and explained to Daryl the do's and don'ts of recovering from a collapsed lung. "No sudden movements, stretching or physical activity of any kind for the next several days. Try clearing your throat instead of coughing, if you can. If you have any other questions, let me know. I can have the nurse bring you some food, if you're feeling up to eating."

Daryl hadn't felt hungry until the mention of food, at which point his stomach growled. "Yeah, food sounds good."

"I'll let her know," he said as he left the room.

"Ok… now what?" Daryl said out loud to himself. He needed a phone. Making a phone call wasn't on the doctor's list of don'ts. He looked around the room. He saw the hospital phone, but it was out of reach. He looked around and spotted his clothes folded on the back of a chair. His cell phone. Was it with his clothes or was it perhaps back in his hotel room on the floor where he'd last used it?

The nurse walked in with a tray of food that, despite being in the hospital, smelled wonderful. "Here you go," she said as she pulled the bedside table around and placed it on there. "If you're still hungry or want something different, just buzz the nurse's desk."

"Thank you very much," he said kindly. "Could you do me a favor before you go?

"Absolutely. What did you need?"

"Can you please check my clothes for my cell phone. I need to make some urgent calls."

"You heard what the doctor said, right? You need to take it easy until your lung recovers."

"I'm just going to make a few calls. That's it."

She walked over to the clothes and located his phone in one of the pockets. "Here you go," she said handing it to him. "Now, I'll be back in to check on you shortly." And with that, she left the room.

_Milltown…_

Jack wandered methodically around the wooded area that lay behind his house. It was pitch black and though he was wearing a watch, he had no clue as to what time it actually was. Time had stopped the moment Carly disappeared. He felt numb and wasn't even sure how his mind and body were functioning. One thought kept him moving, kept him focused - Carly.

The tracks they'd followed had led up a little hill, but had become spread out and had all but disappeared. Clearly, someone had been here at one time and while there was no solid evidence that it was Carly and Julia, Jack knew in his heart it was. The question demanding an answer was, where were they now? Jack, Fitzpatrick and Murray had split up at this point and spread out from there away from the house.

As Jack made his way away from the spot on the hill, something in the back of his mind prickled and he decided to go back and search the area again. As he focused on an area near a tree, he received a call on his phone.

"Snyder."

"Jack, it's Margo. I wanted to let you know the K-9 unit arrived. Hopkins brought back one of Carly's shirts from the Lakeview. We've given them the scent and we're sending them out."

"Thanks Margo. I'll let Fitzpatrick and Murray know."

"How are you doing?" she asked concerned. "Why don't you come back down and rest for a bit while the dogs do their stuff.

"Margo… for the last time, I'm not stopping until I've found Carly."

"Alright Jack. I won't mention it again."

Jack heard the dogs making their way in his direction. As he was turning around, his flashlight caught something and he saw a reflection from an object on the ground. He walked over and bent down to get a closer look. His heart raced as he recognized it. Carly's watch. She'd been here. So close and now… his shook his head to stop his mind from thinking of the worse-case scenario. He looked at the watch again and noticed what looked like blood on the band. He stood up, squeezing the watch tightly in his fist.

"I'm coming Carly. I found your watch you left for me. Just hold on a little longer, I'm going to find you," he whispered out loud to himself.

The dogs made their way to where Jack stood and he moved out of the way. Clearly they picked up her scent, as they started indicating that they found her scent marked strongly in this area. Jack informed one of the K-9 officers that Carly had been here and that they needed to continue searching beyond this area to see if they could pick up the direction that she and Julia headed in. The reorganized a new starting point for the dogs and they started off again. Jack followed along and finally they arrived at a fairly large clearing. The dogs had a little harder time maintaining a scent at this point. However one of the dogs bounded off into the woods again and stopped not too far from the clearing and was indicating he'd found something. Jack and the other officers raced over and saw that the dog had discovered some clothing. One of the officers handed it to Jack to see if he recognized it.

Jack looked at the piece of fabric. A bittersweet smile touched the corners of his mouth as tears welled in his eyes. It was Carly's. One of her favorite maternity shirts. It was wet and dirty. Jack tried removing some of the mud, but only succeeded in smearing it.

"It's hers. It's Carly's," he said quietly to the officer who'd handed him the piece of her shirt. Jack closed his eyes and walked off on his own for a moment. He could see her, being brave and doing whatever she could to help him find her. He was so proud of her and it was breaking his heart that she was still out there, probably terrified and he still hadn't found her yet. Panic, fear, anger, desperation - all these emotions were swirling around inside him fighting for control. He ran a hand through his hair as he began breathing harder. Panic seemed to be winning. He took a deep breath and tried to rationalize the new information. Carly had left behind her watch and a piece of her shirt. Some how she'd done so without Julia's knowledge. That meant that Carly seemed to be able to move about somewhat freely. Just as he was continuing with that train of thought, one of the officers called to him.

"Detective… I think we've found something else."

Jack rushed over and was given a sock along with a pile of rope. He looked at the rope and saw the blood stains on it. He contacted Murray and told him to meet him in the clearing.

"We found the sock not too far from the tire tracks over here," the officer said walking over to point to the tracks on the ground. Disappointment filled him as he realized that Julia had thought ahead.

"Get someone over here to make imprints of the tracks so we can figure out what kind of car it might be. Also, have the dogs do a radial search of this area to make sure we don't miss anything," Jack directed the other officers. He called Margo to let him know the status of the search.

"Well, at least we know she was here. Now all we have to do is figure out where she's headed. Do you have any clue as to where Julia might go?" Margo asked Jack. "Did she have a favorite place here or outside of Oakdale?"

"As far as I know, Julia wasn't familiar with the area that much. She said she loved the house, but look at what she did to it. She loved Emma's farm, but I don't think she'd go there."

"So are we thinking she's headed out of state? Possibly back to Canada or elsewhere?"

"The only way she could get away is by car. The airport, train and bus stations are all being watched and monitored. A car is her best bet. That's why we need to put a rush on determining what kinds of tires made these tracks. We figure that out and we narrow down what kind of car we're looking for."

"The forensic team is on their way."

"Thanks Margo," Jack said.

"One more thing. It should cheer you up some. The hospital called. Daryl's awake and it looks like he's going to be fine," she informed him.

"Really? That is great," Jack said letting out a huge sigh. "You're right, it does help. I'm going to continue to search around here and depending on what we find, I may head to the hospital later to see if Daryl can let me know if Julia said anything to him before he attack."

"Are you sure? I can head over now and talk with him if you'd like," Margo offered.

"No. I'd like to speak with him myself, if that's alright with you." Jack needed to speak with Daryl. He had to apologize for getting him into this situation to begin with. Everything that had happened. Daryl getting stabbed, Carly's kidnapping, their house destroyed… everything was all his fault. If he lived to be 1000 he'd never be able to atone for all of it.

Knowing Jack for as long as she had, Margo knew exactly what he was thinking. "Jack, listen to me. None of this is your fault." "Margo…" He tried cutting her off, but she wasn't having any of it.

"No Jack, I'm serious. Nothing you did or didn't do caused any of this. A woman, who is very sick, has done all of this. She's responsible for her own actions, not you."

"But if I'd seen the warning signs earlier. If I'd just listened to my gut… or to Carly. I mean for crying out loud Margo, she could see it. Why couldn't I?"

"Because you didn't want to believe her capable of it. Believe me Jack, I know what I'm talking about. It took me a long time to be able to separate myself from my brother's crimes. I still have a hard time with it."

"I should have taken Carly away myself. I should have done what Daryl suggested. If I had…"

"You need to stop this. Playing the "what-if" game isn't going to help. All it will do is make you feel worse."

"I can't imagine feeling any worse than I do right now," he replied holding his head in his hand.

"Why don't you go back to the station for an hour or two. There's a cot upstairs, lay down and let your battery recharge. You won't be any good to Carly if you're dead on your feet. Besides, Julia is dangerous, Jack. You don't want to make a mistake in dealing with her," Margo cautioned.

"I need to be here Margo. If we find something new…" "Then I'll call you immediately and you can head right back out here. Everyone in the department wants to find Carly. They won't rest until they do, I promise you that."

Jack sighed heavily. "Alright Margo, you win. I'll head back to the station, but you have to promise me that you call immediately if anything turns up."

"You have my word," she promised.

Jack hung up the phone and gave a last set of directions for the officers before heading back to his car. He could see the first glimpse that it was getting close to dawn. The sky was lightening. Carly had been missing for nearly 12 hours now. He walked back through the wood and saw what was left of the house. The outer frame looked still intact in some areas but as he rounded the corner he could see the whole back half of the house was pretty much completely gone. As he got closer, he noticed something on the ground. He walked over and picked it up. The calendar that hung in the kitchen was splattered with mud and the corners were singed. The rest of it was remarkably undamaged. It was still open to the month and, in bright pink, today's date was circled. Sage had marked the calendar to indicate when Carly was supposed to be returning.

"I should be picking you up at the airport today," Jack said quietly to himself. "The kids and I were going to surprise you," he choked out. A tear rolled down his cheek. "How am I supposed to tell them that I wasn't able to protect you? How can they forgive me when I can't forgive myself?" He walked to the car and got in. He put the calendar in the back seat and headed to the station.

At the station, Rosanna rushed in looking to speak with either Jack or Margo. She hurried over to the desk sergeant. "Can I please speak with Detective Snyder?" she asked.

"He isn't here at the moment. Is there something I can help you with?"

"How about Chief Hughes? Is she here?"

"No, I'm sorry she's not. They're both out on a case."

"Does it have something to do with my sister? I'm Rosanna Cabot and Carly Snyder is my sister," she said beginning to feel frustrated. She'd just gotten off the plane and had a driver take her directly to the airport after being unsuccessful in trying to reach both Carly and Jack.

"Without authorization, I'm afraid I can't discuss any on going cases with you."

"But she's my sister," she said, her voice raising.

"Rosanna," came a voice behind her.

She turned and saw Jack walking through the door. She looked him over from head to toe and was alarmed by his appearance. His clothing was torn and dirty, he had a horrific looking cut on his forehead above his left eye that was still oozing and he looked as though he hadn't slept for days.

"Oh my God Jack, what happened to you?" Rosanna said shocked. "Are you alright?"

"What are you doing here?" Jack asked completely ignoring her inquiry as to how he was doing. How the hell was he supposed to answer that question?

"I rearranged my flight so I could come back earlier. I was concerned about Daryl and Carly," she began.

"Concerned about Carly?" Jack said his voice trembling with rage that was bubbling just under the surface. "If you were so _concerned_ about Carly, then why the hell did you go along with that stupid plan of hers?"

"Jack, I tried to talk her out of it. I swear I did," Rosanna pleaded. "Why? What's happened? Is Carly ok?" she said looking at him with fear in her eyes.

"Julia has Carly," he said quietly, walking past her to his desk. He could feel the bile in his stomach churning.

"Carly," Rosanna whispered. Tears welled in her eyes and she turned to follow him. "Jack… I'm so sorry. This is all my fault," she cried reaching out and putting an arm on his shoulder. "I never should have gone along with it. She was just so scared for you. She didn't want to be far away if something happened. And now something has…" she cried covering her face with her hands.

Jack turned around and pulled Rosanna into his arms. He wasn't about to let her take the blame for this when it was entirely his fault. "It's not your fault Rosanna. It's mine. I should have dealt with Julia a long time ago." He patted her on the back. "I promise you that I will find her and bring her home," he said fiercely. "She's strong and she's smart. If anyone can handle Julia, it's Carly," he said trying to sound convincing. Normally, he would believe it. Carly was the strongest woman he'd ever met. She constantly amazed him. But she was pregnant, very pregnant. And too much stress was not good for her or the baby. He knew the longer she was missing, the more risky her pregnancy became.

"So what happened to you?" Rosanna asked quietly pulling away from him as she wiped her eyes.

"Julia set a trap for me at the house. She led me to believe that Carly was in the house and when I was inside, she set off some explosives," he explained looking down at his clothes for really the first time since it had happened. He subconsciously dusted off his jeans, but nothing was going to help except a change of clothes.

"But she wasn't in there?" Rosanna questioned.

"No, she wasn't. She was close by though. She and Julia made their way on foot through the woods behind the house to a car Julia had waiting for them. We're waiting to hear back on the type of car so we can start searching," he explained.

"Is there anything I can do? Are the kids ok?"

The kids. Jack didn't even know how to go about explaining to them what was going on. As far as Sage and JJ were concerned, he was supposed to come by to take them to the airport today to pick up Carly. What was he supposed to say to them?

"They're still at Lily's. They don't know what's going on yet, though Parker knows something's wrong. Lily is aware of what's going on. I had Margo talk to her. For now, I'd like to keep this from them for as long as possible. They're expecting to see Carly today and I need to be the one to talk to them about it."

"How's Daryl?" Rosanna asked quietly.

"Well, it looks like he's going to be alright. We just got a call from the hospital not too long ago that he finally woke up. It was touch and go there for awhile. One of his lungs had collapsed from the stab wound…"

"He was stabbed?" Rosanna exclaimed.

"Oh, sorry. I'd forgotten that you didn't know that. I didn't mean for it to come out that way," he apologized.

"And you're sure he's going to be alright?"

"That's what the doctor said at the hospital. I was going to go over and check in on him in a little bit. I was going to shower and change my clothes," he said distractedly.

"Do you mind if I go and see him," Rosanna asked.

"No, of course not. I'm sure he'd like that," he smile weakly. "Could you let him know that I'll be stopping by in a little while," he asked.

"Absolutely," she smiled as she turned to go. She stopped and turned around and hugged him tightly. "Carly's lucky to have you. I know you're going to find her and bring her and the baby home," she said gently.

Jack closed his eyes. He hoped Rosanna was right.


	39. Chapter 39

Thirty-nine

It was amazing what a shower could do. Jack stood under the sprayer and just let the hot water wash away all the dirt, grime and despair that covered him. His mind was rejuvenated and he was ready to find Carly and end this nightmare.

He stepped out of the shower in the locker room and wrapped the towel around his hips. Grabbing some clean clothes out of his locker, he quickly dressed. He checked his phone to see if he'd received any calls while he was in the shower. Nothing. He accessed his appearance in the mirror. He had the dark circles under his eyes from lack of sleep and the beginnings of a beard. The cut above his eye looked better after having washed it, but it still was nasty looking. Definitely a scar in the making. He ran his fingers through his hair to hasten the drying process. Jack decided to quickly shave before heading to the hospital to check on Daryl and then over to Lily's to speak with the kids.

Once done, he headed downstairs and stopped by his desk. He checked in with the desk sergeant to let her know where he was headed and how he could be reached. He grabbed a cup of coffee and headed out the door.

_At the hospital…_

Rosanna quietly knocked on the door before slowly opening it. She peeked inside. Daryl was lying in the bed, eyes closed. She stepped inside trying not to disturb him.

"Rosanna," he said with a smile before opening his eyes.

"How did you know it was me?" she asked quietly.

"Your perfume."

She walked over to him and pulled up a chair to sit next to him. "How are you feeling? Are you in a lot of pain?"

"Not too much right now. It's when I try to move that it gets interesting," he grinned. "I don't know what to say to you. Thank you, just doesn't seem adequate." He reached out for her hand.

"Daryl…" she whispered. She grabbed his hand and held on tightly. "You don't need to thank me."

"You saved my life. If they hadn't found me when they did, I wouldn't be here right now."

"Please don't say that."

"It's true. I owe you my life."

She smiled tearfully at him. "Well, what are friends for…" she said wiping away a tear that fell down her cheek.

"Is that what we are?" he said intently. "Friends?"

"I'd like to think so," she said softly.

"Maybe I should rephrase that. Is that _all_ we are?" his voice was low as he looked directly into her eyes.

Rosanna opened her mouth to respond, but was interrupted by the nurse coming in to check on him.

"Oh! You have a visitor," she smiled walking over to check his monitors and his vitals.

"I'll just step outside for a moment to give you some privacy," she said letting go of his hand as she got up from the chair.

"Please don't leave," he pleaded.

"I'll be done in just a moment," the nurse offered.

"I'll be right back," she smiled. "I promise."

Daryl gave her nod as he watched her leave. Coming so close to death had definitely given him a new perspective on life. Perhaps though, he'd pushed too much way too soon. He sighed as he leaned his head back against the pillow as the nurse finished with her check.

"How are you feeling? Any pain?"

"Nope. I'm fine."

"That's good. I'll be around. Just hit the button if you need anything. I'll let your friend know she can come back in," she said as she marked his chart and left the room.

Rosanna took a seat near the nurses station and waited. Waited and thought. Daryl had wanted to know if they were more than friends. Were they? Hadn't she thought of him nearly every moment she was in Germany? She was terrified. Things just hadn't worked out for her as far as relationships went. She was either committed and they weren't or they were more committed and she wasn't. Was she ready to take the next step and plunge into a relationship again? All these thoughts were jumbled in her mind. She put her head in her hands and took several deep breaths. It was at this moment that Jack walked up and spotted her.

"Rosanna… is everything ok? Is it Daryl?"

Rosanna lifted her head and looked at Jack. Fear and concern etched on face. "It is Daryl, but not how you mean. He's fine. Well… not fine considering what happened, but there isn't anything new. The nurse is in there with him right now. I just stepped outside…" she trailed off not knowing really how to explain anything that had just happened.

"Are you alright?"

"Hmmm?" Rosanna mumbled, clearly distracted. "Are you going in to see him?" she asked.

"I was going to, if you don't mind," Jack began.

"That's good. Tell him that I went to get some water and I'll be back," she said giving him a smile. She turned and headed in the direction of the cafeteria.

Jack watched her leave before heading into Daryl's room. He knocked gently before entering. The nurse had already left.

Daryl, who was anticipating Rosanna, was shocked to see that it wasn't her but Jack. The smile on his face faltered for a moment, but became genuine at seeing his long-time friend. "Jack!" he said enthusiastically.

Guilt tore at Jack as he saw Daryl lying in the hospital bed. He was a little surprised by Daryl's reaction. He hung his head a bit as he walked into the room.

"Don't even say it Jack," Daryl warned.

"I'm so sor-"

"I said no, Jack. None of this is your fault. I was the one not paying attention."

"But you wouldn't be lying here with stab wounds and a collapsed lung if it weren't for my situation," Jack sighed.

"You didn't ask me to come to Oakdale. I did that all on my own, remember?"

"Yes, but…" "Stop it. I mean it. Not another word. It's done," he said firmly. "So what's been going on? Did you find her?"

Jack looked at Daryl and slumped into the chair. "She has Carly," he said quietly, still not wanting to say it out loud.

"What? How is that possible?"

"Carly didn't go to Germany with Rosanna. She was staying at the Lakeview in Rosanna's suite this whole time," Jack explained.

"When did you find out?"

"When Rosanna called to tell me about you. She told me then."

"So how did Julia find Carly?"

"I'm not really sure. We're pulling the security video from several of the cameras to see if we can find out what happened. Regardless, she has Carly."

"What happened to you?" Daryl asked indicating to the cut on his forehead.

"It's a long story that I'll go into later. Right now, I want to ask you if you saw who did this to you."

"It was her," he said nodding. "It was Julia."

"Did she say anything?"

"Nope. Not a single word," he said. He thought back to those few moments before the attack and involuntarily shuddered. "I can't believe I let my guard down. I know better than that," Daryl said shaking his head in embarrassment.

"Trust me when I say that it can happen to the best of us," Jack said with a grimace. He too had his own encounter with Julia that he'd rather not remember.

Daryl went over everything he remembered up until he passed out after making his phone call to Rosanna. Then he pressed Jack for information on what had gone down at the house. Jack explained the details of the previous night. After he was finished, he took a deep breath and processed everything all over again. It all still seemed so surreal. Like at any moment he would wake up and he'd realize that it all had been one big horrible dream.

Daryl sat and thought a moment. "So you're still waiting to hear back on what type of car she's driving now?"

"Yeah. I'm hoping that by the time I get back out there, they'll have that information for me."

"Do you have air coverage lined up?"

"Margo said she'd get that taken care of."

"Let me make a few calls and I'll get you some additional units. We're going to find her Jack," he said trying to reassure him.

"Thanks Daryl."

"Don't mention it," he smiled. "Did you happen to see Rosanna outside?"

"Yeah. She was waiting until the nurse was done. She went to get some water and said she'd be back."

"Oh. Ok," Daryl said. He started messing with a loose thread on the hem of the blanket covering him.

"Did something happen?" Jack looked at him, trying to read what he was witnessing.

"What do you mean?"

"Between you and Rosanna. Did you guys argue?"

"No. Did she say we did?"

"No. She didn't say anything either."

"Oh."

"Huh," Jack said shaking his head.

"What?" It was Daryl's turn to look confused.

Jack was about to respond when the door opened and Rosanna poked her head in.

"Is it ok if I come in?" she asked.

"Absolutely," Jack replied as he got up out of the chair and held it for Rosanna. "I need to get over to Lily's and explain things to the kids. Besides, it's clear that you two still have things to talk about.

Rosanna turned twelve shades of pink and Daryl wasn't far behind.

"Keep me posted, Jack."

"Will do," Jack smiled as he walked out the door.

About 20 minutes later, Jack pulled up to Lily's house. The security detail he put on the house was still positioned outside. He parked his car and turned off the engine. He sat there not wanting to go inside. Not wanting to face his kids and tell them that their mother was missing. Unfortunately, his arrival didn't go unnoticed and he saw the front door open and JJ walked down to the car to greet him. Determined to remain strong, so as to reassure them everything would be ok, Jack stepped out of the car ready to break the news.

"Hey dad. You're here early," JJ smiled as he walked up.

"Hey buddy. I'm surprised your awake. I thought you might sleep in, seeing as it's your first morning back," Jack smiled.

"Well technically I'm not back yet. Not until tonight when we're all home. Wow! What happened to your head?" JJ asked taking a closer look.

Jack's determination nearly crumbled. "Oh this? This is nothing. I'll tell you about it later. Have you guys had breakfast yet?" Jack said trying to change the subject.

"Not yet. It's almost ready. Can you stay and eat with us?"

"Yeah, I was hoping to. Is your sister awake?"

"I'm not sure. I'll go see," JJ said turning to head into the house.

"How about Parker?"

"No. He's still sleeping as far as I know."

"Why don't you check on him too while I speak with Lily."

"Is everything ok, dad?"

"Just go and check on Sage and Parker and meet me in the kitchen for breakfast," Jack said. JJ could tell that arguing or questioning him any further was out of the question. He turned and hurried into the house.

Jack made his way up the steps to the door. Each one heavier than the next.

"Jack!" Ethan said excitedly upon seeing him.

"Hey there Ethan," Jack said rubbing the top of his head. "Where's your mom at?"

"She's right here," Lily said walking out of the living room. She took in Jack's appearance and knew things were still as bad as they had been.

"Hi Lily," Jack said grimly. He glanced at Ethan, hoping that Lily would get the message without him having to say anything. She did.

"Ethan… why don't you go and get the forks and spoons out and start setting the table for me," Lily suggested.

"Okay mom," he replied happily and set off with his very important task.

"Let's go in here," Lily said indicating the study.

Jack followed her in and closed the door.

"Well… what's the news? Is it as bad as you look?"

Jack put one hand on his hip and the other he covered his eyes. He stood there for a moment collecting his thoughts. No matter how many times he said it out loud, it still hurt. It still ached. And it still made him nauseous. He let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding and looked up at Lily. He saw the sympathy and sadness in her eyes and he nearly lost it.

"Oh Jack," she said coming over to him and hugging him, tears in her eyes.

"What am I going to do Lily? I have to find her and it's killing me that Julia still has her. What if Julia harms the baby? I swear to God Lily, I'll kill her if she hurts Carly or the baby," he said wiping the tears from his eyes.

"Don't talk like that, Jack. You have to stay positive. Carly and the baby are going to be fine. You're going to find her and everything will be alright," she said smiling through her tears.

There was a knock at the door.

Jack closed his eyes, dreading this moment. Having to look into the eyes of his kids and tell them that he failed to protect their mother and the baby. How did one prepare for something like that?

Lily dried her tears as she walked over to the door and opened it to find JJ, Parker and Sage. "Hey guys. Why don't you come in and stay with your dad until breakfast is done," she said stepping aside to let them in.

Sage rushed in and ran to her dad. Parker and JJ walked in more slowly, clearly sensing that something was definitely very wrong.

"Dad!" Sage yelled giving him a hug. "What happened to your head?" she said worriedly.

Jack hugged her tightly back and kissed the top of her head. "Don't worry about that now." He looked up into the grim faces of the boys. Jack swallowed and gave them a half-hearted smile. "Why don't we sit down guys," he said taking a seat on the sofa. Sage sat down next to him.

Parker and JJ took a seat opposite and waited quietly.

Jack sighed and looked down at Sage and brushed her hair back from her face and smiled at her. "I'm afraid that our plans for today have changed."

"Which part?" Sage asked, a frown creasing her forehead.

"Actually, all of it," he said quietly. Parker made eye contact with Jack and he saw the fear register on his son's face.

"Why?" JJ asked.

"Well, the truth is… your mom didn't go to Germany after all."

"Where did she go?" Sage interrupted.

"Sage! Quit interrupting," Parker yelled. "Let dad talk," he said glaring at her.

"Don't boss me around Parker," Sage shot back.

"Please. Both of you… enough," Jack pleaded. "Don't do that. Not right now." He looked at Sage. "Honey, just let me finish talking and then you can ask all the questions you want to. Alright?" Sage nodded and Jack continued.

"It turns out that your Aunt Rosanna went to Germany but your mom stayed in Oakdale."

Sage opened her mouth to respond but closed it as Parker gave her a look.

"Your mom didn't want to be too far from her doctor and she didn't want to be too far from you guys," he smiled. "So, she stayed at Aunt Rosanna's hotel suite instead. Last night, my friend Daryl had an accident and was taken to the hospital."

"Is he alright?" Sage couldn't help herself.

"Yes sweetheart, he's fine. As you guys know, Daryl and I have been working on a case," Jack paused. How was he supposed to explain Julia to his kids? Parker knew of her, but he'd been so young at the time that he really didn't remember anything.

"So… this case deals with a person whose is really angry with me," he said wishing with all his heart it could just stop here. That he didn't have to tell his kids and see their fear and heartbreak. However, he knew he had to go on.

"This person found out your mom was still here in Oakdale and they took her," he said quietly. He looked at them and watched as it registered exactly what he'd just told them.

"Did this person hurt your friend?" JJ asked.

Jack nodded. "Yes."

Sage looked up at him as tears fell down her face. Her lower lip quivered as she tried to be brave. "Will they hurt mom or the baby?" she whispered.

Jack held her shoulders and looked her straight in the eye. "I'm not going to let that happen. I'm going to find your mom and bring her home safe," he promised. He sent a silent prayer heavenward hoping to keep that promise.

Sage hugged him and cried into his shoulder. He smoothed her hair as he rocked slightly with her.

"Did that person give you that?" JJ asked indicating to the cut above his eye.

The house. It didn't seem important compared to what was at stake. But to the kids, it was part of everything. "Yes, the person tried to hurt me too."

Sage pulled back to look at the cut on her dad's forehead.

"There's something else I have to tell you guys." Jack looked at all of them. Parker had been quiet the entire time. He studied him for a moment before continuing. Parker was keeping his head down and eyes averted.

"The house has been damaged pretty bad. That's where I got hurt," he explained.

"What happened to our house?" Sage asked.

"This same person tried to destroy our house. Unfortunately, they nearly succeeded."

"Is it gone?" JJ asked, stunned.

"Not quite. But a lot of damage has been done. At this point, I'm not sure if we can save it," Jack said sadly. He looked at the three of them. They looked shell-shocked as he had expected. That was a lot of information to take in all at once.

"I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry that I didn't do a better job of protecting your mother and the baby. And I'm sorry about the house. But I promise you that I'm going to fix this and make everything right. I swear I will," he said in one full breath.

Parker looked up at him finally. Jack could see that he had been fighting back tears.

"I know you will," he said looking him directly in the eyes.

Jack reached over and pulled Parker to him to give him a hug. Sage followed suit, as did JJ.

Lily stood in the doorway witnessing the scene before her. Jack holding all three of his kids, promising to remedy the situation. "Oh Carly," she whispered to herself. "You just have to be alright. I don't know what they'd do without you…"

_Meanwhile…_

In a remote area not too far outside of Oakdale sat Carly in the backseat of the car as Julia made her way through the winding road. Carly was unsure of where they were. She had tried to keep her eye on the road, but her contractions were not easing up and only getting stronger. She knew this baby was coming and coming very soon. How was she supposed to get away from Julia when she was in labor?

_Jack… please be alright_, Carly thought to herself. _Please find us soon. I don't want her to take our baby…_ Carly winced in pain as another strong contraction started. She began her breathing, but this contraction was the strongest yet. She cried out in pain.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Julia yelled at her from the front seat.

Carly moaned in pain unable to speak, let alone think coherently.

Julia looked at her through the rearview mirror. She realized what was going on and a slow smile spread across her face. "My baby is coming," she said happily.


	40. Chapter 40

**Chapter Forty**

Julia could hardly contain her excitement. Finally she'd be the mother of Jack's child. She would be able to present him with the child they should have had all those years ago.

Never mind the fact that she had to deal with _her_ first. To achieve one's goal, there must always be sacrifices. The fact that the baby would be here sooner than expected did pose a few issues. She needed to find a new place to hide out and quickly. Also they were still very close to Oakdale. Too close as far as Julia was concerned. But, the pros outweighed the cons. She'd have Jack, their baby and a new start together as a family. A happy family. What they would have been if it hadn't been for _her_.

She drove along the country road and saw a sign for "Food, Gas & Lodging". She followed along and took the next right where indicated. What looked like a truck stop with a diner loomed ahead. Since it was Sunday, it wasn't too crowded. Julia slowly pulled into the gravel parking lot, keeping her eyes open for anything or anyone who might pose a threat.

Carly sat slumped in the backseat feeling very uncomfortable. Her hands were still tied in front of her which hindered her movement and the ability to shift positions as needed during a contraction. They were getting closer too. Only about 5 minutes apart. Carly could feel the panic and anxiety setting in as she tried her best to stay as calm as possible. Unfortunately, there was only so much she could do.

Julia was slowing down and Carly scooted herself up so she could get a look at what the cause of that was. She saw the truck stop and was surprised that Julia would even consider stopping. Perhaps they were low on gas. The potholes and the bumps of the parking lot started another contraction and Carly winced and breathed as best as she could until it subsided.

Julia looked around and decided to park off out of the way of prying eyes and turned around to face Carly before getting out.

"If you even think about trying to escape or signal someone for help… it'll be the last thing you ever do. Got it?" she hissed at her.

Carly nodded her compliance and closed her eyes as the contraction eased. She watched Julia get out of the car and walk across the parking lot to the diner. She quickly glanced around the parking lot, accessing her options. There weren't any cars or trucks close to where Julia had parked. She'd have to make a run for it and hope that Julia didn't see or catch her before she got a chance to get to anyone. Carly wasn't sure she'd make it, especially with the contractions coming so frequently.

Then Carly spotted perhaps her best bet. Off to the back of the diner, fairly close to the car and out of the line of sight - was a payphone. She wasn't sure if it was even working, but she had to try. She scooted herself over to the door and managed to open it. She jumped out and ran as fast as she could, hoping and praying the whole way there. She picked up the receiver and had never been so thrilled in all her life to hear a ring tone. She quickly dialed 911. The operator came on.

"911, what's your emergency?" the nasally voice answered automatically.

"My name is Carly Snyder and I've been kidnapped. My husband works for the Oakdale Police Department. You have to call him and tell him you've heard from me. Please!" Carly pleaded out of breath.

"Ma'am, calm down and please repeat that. Did you say you've been kidnapped?"

"I don't have time for this. Please just contact the Oakdale PD and ask for Jack Snyder. Julia has me and we're at a truck stop and about 4 hours outside of Oakdale. You got all that?"

"Are you hurt?"

"No. But I'm in labor and this woman is going to take my baby. Please hurry!" Carly reiterated. She glanced around quickly, looking for any signs of Julia. Then she thought of something. "She's driving a blue car with the license plate 184 DEC," Carly told her as quickly as she could.

She dropped the phone and left it dangling in the booth. What better way to trace it, she thought. She ran as fast as she could. About half way to the car, another contraction hit. Carly nearly fell over from the pain. Running had not been the best choice. But then again… she didn't really have one. She looked back to see if Julia was coming and thankfully the coast was still clear. She walked as fast as she could manage until the contraction stopped and then she sped up until she was safely back inside the car. Unfortunately she didn't get the door closed in time. Julia came around the corner and spotted the back door open.

"What did I tell you?" she yelled as she reached in and grabbed Carly by the arm.

"I thought I was going to be sick," she said breathing heavy. "I didn't want to get sick in the car and I thought the fresh air might help," she pleaded. She didn't look good. She had a sheen of perspiration on her forehead and she was pale from the pain of the contraction.

Julia glared at her and looked her over. "How close are your contractions?"

"I'm not exactly sure. Somewhere between 5 and 10 minutes apart. Why?" she asked.

Julia glared at her. "Haven't I already told you that when you need to know something, I'll tell you. Questions only make me angry," she said gritting her teeth. "Get in there," she said shoving Carly back into the car.

Because Carly couldn't steady herself with her hands tied, she ended up hitting her head against the other side of the car. Carly cried out in pain as her head pounded from the impact.

"Be quiet!" Julia growled at her as she slammed the door shut and walked around to the driver's door.

Carly, again, scooted herself up and tried to focus on where they were going. Now that she'd made contact with someone, hopefully it wouldn't be too long before someone found her.

_Back in Oakdale…_

Jack sat at the kitchen table with Parker, JJ, Sage, Natalie, Ethan and Lily. Ethan entertained the solemn-faced bunch. What should have been a great day, turned into a dismal one for Parker, JJ and Sage. Jack sat drinking his coffee in guilty silence. Lily glanced around the table and felt she had to do something.

"Hey guys. Why don't we finish up our breakfast and get the dishes done and we can head out to the farm," she said smiling.

"We can go see Daddy?" Ethan asked excitedly.

"Yup. Actually, Holden is going to need some extra help today. Aunt Emma called and said she was head coming home in a couple of days. So, we want to have her place all neat and tidy. Which means that someone's going to need to take the horses out and get them their exercise," she said winking at Sage and Natalie.

"Won't that be fun Sage?" Natalie asked with a huge smile on her face.

"Yeah…" Sage said pushing the last of her pancakes around on her plate.

"How about you JJ?" Lily asked. "It's been awhile since you've ridden. Do you think you're up to it?" she asked trying to take his mind off his missing mother.

"Sure," he said giving her a weak smile.

Jack recognized what Lily was attempting to do and tried to help as best he could. "Boy that sounds great. I haven't been riding in while. I'm sure you guys will have a great time," he said looking at Lily. He smiled as a way of thank you. She nodded.

"May I be excused?" Parker asked.

"Of course," Lily told him.

Parker got up with his plate and put it in the dishwasher and walked quietly out of the room.

Jack watched him leave. He needed to talk to Parker. He looked back at JJ and Sage. "Hey you two… come here," he said gesturing to them as he scooted out his chair. "I need to get going. I have a lot of work to do. I want both of you to try and stay busy and have a good time. I meant what I said. I'm going to find your mom and bring her home… I promise."

Sage threw herself into his arms and held on tightly. "I'm scared Dad," she said crying.

"Oh baby, I know. I know," he said gently patting her back. He looked up at JJ and patted him on the arm.

"It'll be ok Sage," JJ offered. "You know Dad is the best cop out there. He won't let anything happen to mom or the baby."

"I don't want anything to happen to you either," she sniffed as she pulled back and looked up at the cut on his head.

Jack brushed her hair back and kissed her forehead. "Nothing is going to happen to me. Now, help Lily with the dishes and have fun out at the farm," he said giving her another kiss and hug before standing.

"I love you," Sage whispered.

"I love you too," he told her. "And thanks JJ," he said pulling him in for a hug.

"Love you dad."

"Love you and I'm sorry your homecoming wasn't more…" he trailed off.

"It doesn't matter. Just bring mom home safe. We can all celebrate then," he smiled.

"You got it." Jack walked over to Lily. "Thank you so much. I don't know what I'd do if they didn't have someplace safe to stay."

"Just find Carly. But don't forget to take care of yourself too." She gave him a hug.

"I'm going to go and talk to Parker before I go. Make sure he's ok," he said gently.

"I think that's a good idea," she smile gently. "Let me know what happens."

"I will." And with that he headed off to find Parker.

It didn't take too long. Parker had headed upstairs to the room he was staying in. He was lying on the bed with his ipod and earphones on, staring up at the ceiling.

Jack knocked, but Parker either didn't hear or just didn't want to acknowledge him. He walked over to the bed and sat down. Parker looked at him and turned off the music.

"Can we talk?" Jack asked.

"Sure."

"Do you want to tell me what you're thinking? Or feeling?" Jack asked. "Now that Sage isn't here, you can ask me anything you want. I'll tell you everything I know."

Parker sat there silently for a moment. "Is mom actually hurt or do you not know?"

"I don't think she's hurt… but I don't know for sure," he admitted.

"Who has her?"

Jack knew this question was coming. He took a deep breath. "You were pretty young then, but do you remember the name Julia Lindsay?"

Parker thought a moment. "Were you married to her at one point?"

Jack shuddered at the memory. "Yes. I was married to her a long time ago. You were around 2 at the time."

"And she's the one who has mom?"

"Yes."

"Why? What does she want? Is she holding mom for ransom?"

"I wish it were that easy. But no, she's not holding mom for ransom. At least not in the traditional sense."

"She blames me and your mom for ruining my marriage to her."

"So why would she kidnap mom?"

"I'm not absolutely sure about that," Jack said. Though in actuality he knew it had everything to do with the baby.

Parker picked up on the fact that his dad was holding something back. He gave him a sideways glance. "Dad… you know what she wants, don't you."

Jack looked down at his feet and back up at Parker. "I think she wants the baby."

Parker just stared back at his dad, hundreds of emotions flickered across his face.

"I'm not going to let her, though. You have my word Parker. I'm going to do anything I have to in order to find your mom and bring her home."

"I believe you."

Jack gave him a hug. "I need to go. But I also need you to be there for Sage and JJ. She's really scared, so don't give her a hard time. Go easy on her, alright?" He looked at him and gave him a smile.

"I will," Parker smiled.

"I know you will," Jack smiled back. He got up from the bed and headed to the door. He stopped and turned around. "I'll check in with you guys later, ok?"

"Be careful dad."

"I love you, Parker."

"I love you too."

_Somewhere in the middle of nowhere…_

Julia had got back onto the main country road to drive a short distance to the next turn off. She took a left onto an unpaved road which was very dusty and bumpy.

Carly thought she was going to throw-up. She probably would have if she'd had any food in her stomach. But since it had been over 12 hours since she'd eaten, she wasn't too concerned about it. She noticed a weird spot or stain on the back of one of the car seats. She used that to focus on as she breathed rhythmically. As she concentrated she began thinking about what was happening. She was in labor and not in a hospital… again. Carly thought for sure this time would be different. She and Jack had talked about it, joked actually, about the fact that this time she'd have the baby in an actual hospital rather than at the house or in a remote cabin in Montana. Both of those options were looking pretty good right now. Carly had no clue as to where Julia was headed. They continued down the road for another 20 minutes or so, though with the road in the condition it was in, it felt much longer to Carly.

"Finally," Julia muttered under her breath. She was irritated with how long it had taken to get to this point. She drove along through the wooded trees and finally she could see it through the clearing. A small cabin. "Perfect!" she said excitedly. "No one will find us way out here." She turned around and smiled at Carly. "Are you excited? We've made it to your final stop," she grinned wickedly.

_Back in Oakdale…_

Jack pulled up near his driveway and got out of the car. He took a long, long look at what was left of the house. Perhaps it was because of the entire situation, but it looked pretty bleak in contrast to the bright blue sky behind it. Hundreds of memories flashed through his mind as he made his way up the walkway. Margo was standing near the door frame.

"Hey Margo. What do you got for me?"

"Well, we think we've narrowed down the make of car. I've got helicopters already out canvassing the area. Apparently Daryl ordered some additional units, as well. Did you stop by to see him?"

"Yeah I did, before I headed over to Lily's."

"How are the kids?"

"As well as can be expected," he said.

She gave his arm a pat as her phone rang. "Hughes," she answered.

Jack started to walk into the remains of his house when Margo pulled on his arm, tugging him back.

"What did she say?"

"Uh huh…"

"And is she absolutely positive on the license plate number?"

"Then run it…"

"Where is the call center?"

"Ok… got it. Thanks," she said hanging up.

"Well," Jack said looking anxious as he waited to hear the information.

"Apparently a 911 operator received a phone call from a woman at a truck stop saying that she'd been kidnapped and she needed to reach her husband at the Oakdale Police Department," Margo smiled at him.

Jack nearly stopped breathing at the news. "Carly! Tell me she sent a police unit out there… that they found her?"

"She did, but there wasn't anyone out there. Now Jack, I don't want you to get your hopes up…" she paused trying to word this as delicately as possible. "Do you think Julia might have done that just to set you up? Send you on a wild goose chase with a dummy license plate?"

Caution and common sense told him to be wary but in his heart Jack knew this wasn't a false lead. "You're right. It does sound like something Julia would do. The only way to be sure is to hear the recording of the call. If I can hear it, I'll know whether or not it's really Carly."

"I figured you'd want to. The call center is near Springfield, but it operates the area of Rushville."

"Did anything come up on the license plate?"

"Nothing yet. Hopkins is still checking. Why don't you take one of the helicopters. It'll get you out there faster and then you can borrow a car from the Springfield PD. I'll have them meet you out there," she offered.

"Thanks Margo. Call me as soon as you get information on the plate."

"I will," she assured him as he hurried to his car. "And be careful Jack. Don't underestimate Julia."

"Believe me, I won't."

About 30 minutes later, Jack was belted into the seat in the helicopter and heading for the small town of Rushville. He'd never been there, but remembered seeing signs for it on various trips he'd taken across the state. His heart was hammering in his chest. For the first time in nearly 24 hours he felt something other than fear, anxiety, desperation or anger. He felt hopeful. It was an amazing feeling. He tried not to allow himself to get too excited. What if it wasn't Carly. What if it was Julia or some woman she'd told to call pretending to be Carly. He needed to hear this phone call.

The trip took about 45 minutes. Margo had arranged for a police unit from Springfield to meet them at the airfield and take them to the 911 call center. Jack walked into the building and asked to speak with the manager. He was directed to a Mr. George Winthrop.

"I'm Detective Jack Snyder from the Oakdale PD. I understand you have a recording of a 911 call that might have been from my wife," he said anxiously.

"Right this way Detective. We have everything all set up for you," he leading him back to his office.

"Thank you," Jack said with a deep breath. He wanted to dispense with the formalities and the talking and just listen to the tape. The anticipation was nearly driving him crazy. How would she sound? Scared, hurt, angry? He ran his hand through his hair. Then another thought hit him. What would he do if it wasn't her? He'd loose it. No. No, it was her. _I know it's her_… he thought to himself.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity passed and the sweetest sound Jack had ever heard spoke to him.

"_My name is Carly Snyder and I've been kidnapped. My husband works for the Oakdale Police Department. You have to call him and tell him you've heard from me. Please!" _

"Carly," he said barely audible. He closed his eyes as his hand touched his heart. It was her. It was really her. He took a deep breath and let it out. He'd never been more relieved in his life. He continued to listen.

"_I don't have time for this. Please just contact the Oakdale PD and ask for Jack Snyder. Julia has me and we're at a truck stop and about 4 hours outside of Oakdale. You got all that?" _

Even in this type of circumstance she still had her head about her. He was terrified for her, but proud at the same time. She was such a survivor. Strong and yet vulnerable too. There had been so many times during their relationship when he'd taken her strength for granted. Obviously that had been a huge mistake. One that he would always regret.

"_No. But I'm in labor and this woman is going to take my baby. Please hurry! She's driving a blue car with the license plate 184 DEC." _

Oh my God… the baby! Fear overtook him. The image of Julia holding their child burned in his mind. "When was this call received?" Jack asked reverting from husband mode back to detective immediately.

"About 2 hours ago," Mr. Winthrop replied.

"How far away from here is this truck stop?" Jack asked.

"About a half hour drive."

"So about 10 minutes by helicopter," Jack replied mostly to himself.

"What's out in that area?"

"Not a whole bunch. Mostly people head over there to fish, hunt or camp."

"So it's fairly secluded then." Jack thought for a moment. "Thank you very much. Please have a copy of that sent to my attention at the Oakdale Police Department," he said as he turned and headed back out to the police car.

"Take me back to airfield," he said hurriedly as he jumped back into the car. Two hours. That's a long time. Plenty of time for Carly to have had the baby and for Julia to get away. "Fast as you can go… we're working against the clock," he said hoping that he wouldn't be too late.

_Elsewhere…_

Carly was lying down on the musty old bed inside the cabin. She was weak and exhausted as she continued to battle through the labor. Thankfully, Julia recognized that Carly was in no condition to go anywhere or attempt to get away and had untied her hands. Carly was trying her hardest to fight her body's natural instinct to push. She knew that unless someone found them and soon, this baby was going to be born and there would be nothing Carly could do to protect it from Julia.

Julia meanwhile, paced the floor in anticipation of the blessed event. Soon she would have her family with Jack and all would be right in the world. She realized that it would take time for Jack to get used to the idea, but she had no doubt he would eventually come around. She figured she'd take the baby away for awhile and then come back. Jack would be so happy to see her and the baby, all would be forgiven. She smiled to herself at the thought of walks in the park… the two of them holding hands, pushing the stroller. _She_ yelled out in pain and brought Julia back to reality, shattering the happy thought in the process. She glared at the woman on the bed. She couldn't wait to be free of her. Only a little while longer and she'd finally have everything she deserved. Jack, their baby and Carly… dead.


	41. Chapter 41

**Chapter Forty-one**

Carly cried out in pain as another contraction urged her to push. She'd given birth twice before without the use of pain medication and she knew she could do it again. The problem was that she was trying to delay the actual birth for as long as possible. Unfortunately, her body was unable to fight it's natural instincts any longer. She pushed and while it was still painful, the fact that she no longer was fighting against it relieved much of the discomfort.

Julia stood nearby, watching with envy. She didn't understand why _this_ woman was able to conceive and give birth to Jack's child when she couldn't. She began pacing back and forth, tugging at her hair, as she waited impatiently for the child's arrival.

Carly felt another contraction start and prepared to push. Taking a deep breath and holding it, her thoughts drifted to the births of Parker and Sage. She needed him. Needed his strength, his reassurance that everything was going to be alright. Whenever she felt she was too tired to continue pushing - Jack had been right there. Encouraging her, believing in her… loving her every step of the way.

"Jack," she cried out as she continued to struggle with the contraction. She felt the baby's head begin to crown and knew it wouldn't be long now…

_Meanwhile…_

"Hold on Carly," Jack whispered to himself. "I'm almost there." He could feel her, she needed him. He felt completely powerless as he sat in the helicopter flying toward the truck stop.

"Can't this thing go any faster?" Jack shouted impatiently.

"We're almost there Detective," the pilot replied. "Actually, you can see it now. There's the diner," he said pointing off to his right. Jack turned his head in the direction he was pointing and saw their destination.

The pilot circled and landed in the large gravel parking lot of the truck stop. Jack unbuckled himself and hopped out, running quickly toward the diner along with a Federal Agent, Daryl had requested he take along. He walked into the dimly lit place and glanced around while his eyes adjusted. It wasn't very crowded, being that it was a Sunday. He looked around for a waitress and finally saw one emerge from the kitchen carrying two plates of food.

"Excuse me," Jack began but she cut him off.

"Go ahead and seat yourself. I'll be with you in a moment," she said delivering the orders to her customers.

"I don't need a seat, I need information," he said as she walked over. Jack could feel his patience slipping as it was nearly paper thin at this point anyway.

"Alright," she said smacking her bubble gum. "Where are you headed?" she asked.

Jack looked at her with a blank stare.

"I assume you need directions?" she replied, giving him a look that clearly indicated she thought that he was a bit slow.

Jack rolled his eyes in frustration and pulled out his badge. He briefly saw something flicker across her face. Was it fear? Along with his badge, Jack pulled out a recent photo they had of Julia.

"Did you see this woman in here earlier today?" he asked closely watching her reaction.

Several moments passed as she struggled with her answer. She shifted her feet and refused to make eye contact as she looked at the picture.

"We get lots of people through here," she answered.

Well that was a non-answer if ever he'd heard one. Jack felt his jaw clench. Carly and the baby were in danger. The last thing he needed was this woman wasting precious time when lives were at stake.

"Forgive me, but I get the distinct impression that you're lying. This woman is very dangerous and she's holding a pregnant woman hostage. That pregnant woman happens to be my wife," he said raising his voice. The emotions of everything that had taken place in the last 24 hours was catching up to him and he was going to loose it and this woman was going to take the brunt of it, if she didn't start cooperating. "Now," he said leaning down to make direct eye contact with her. "When did you see her? And I will remind you that obstructing an officer is a punishable offense."

"Yeah, I saw her in here about an hour ago. Maybe a little more," she said quietly. "But she was alone. I swear it."

However briefly Julia spoke with this woman, she clearly instilled some sort of fear, mostly likely via a threat. "What did she want?" Jack asked.

"She asked about lodging. She needed a room, so I rented her one."

"I didn't see a motel or anything nearby."

"The guy that owns the diner has a bunch of cabins in the area that he rents out to campers, hunters and fisherman throughout the year."

"I need to get to that cabin," Jack interrupted. He turned to the FBI agent and instructed him to have the pilot get the chopper ready. "I need the directions right now," he ordered her.

She quickly ran to retrieve the information for him. Returning a short time later with the driving instructions.

"How long of a drive out there to this cabin?"

"I'd say about 30 minutes or so… maybe less."

"Thank you," he said as he rushed out of the diner.

_In the cabin…_

Julia waited anxiously as it was very apparent the baby was almost here. She collected the items she knew she'd need and placed them on the table near the bed. Scissors, string, blankets, towels, water, etc… she'd laid them out neatly. She'd even thought ahead and had already purchased diapers, formula and a few baby clothes. Nothing too fancy, just the basic stuff. There would be time to purchase the cute and frivolous things later. She had what she needed immediately. She glanced at her watch. This labor was taking longer than she had expected. Could this woman do nothing right? She glared at _her_, watching as _she_ struggled through a contraction. She wanted more than anything to experience the birth of a child. And not just any child, but Jack's child.

She remembered back to when they were married. They'd been so happy. Making a life, planning a future… but _she_ wouldn't stay away. She was there, always there waiting to pounce. Preying upon Jack, manipulating him. Corrupting him. She felt forced to take steps to ensure their future. So she had made the decision not to wait on getting pregnant. And yes, Jack had been concerned about that, but once he realized what a wonderful thing it would be - he was thrilled. And just like then, he would warm up to raising this baby together. His adoptive son JJ would also be welcome to live with them. After all, his name is what their sons' name would've been. Their son would have been about the same age too. So really, it's like he was their son. The thought of finally having the life she craved nearly made her salivate.

She looked back at _her_. _Her_ constant presence destroyed her life. Jack had been helpless against _her_. If only she hadn't sent that fax. If only she'd not felt sympathy for _her_ son, then her life would have been so much different. She'd be married to Jack still. They'd be having another baby. He'd be Chief of Police and she'd waiting for him with open arms every night. They'd have their family meal, play with the kids and tuck them in. At night they'd lay in each others arms… it would have been perfect. Her fists clenched in anger, thinking of all that she'd lost at the hands of this woman.

Carly was mentally and physically exhausted. She was trying to push with every other contraction so as to attempt to slow down the birth process. However, at this point, she was in so much pain she just wanted it to be over with. As she held her breath and pushed, she mentally cried out to Jack to hurry. She reached down and felt the baby's head and knew that with the next push or two the baby would be here. She glanced up at Julia and shuddered slightly at the look on her face. Hatred - pure and simple was etched upon her features. Carly was terrified to think of what this woman was capable of. Not so much for herself, but for her child. How was Carly going to be able to protect this child from this monster?

The contraction started and Carly pushed, praying for strength for the fight she knew was coming. Thoughts of Jack, their life, their kids swirled around in her mind as she gave one final big push. She heard the tiny whimpering as she reached down and picked up the baby bringing it to her chest. She used her finger to clean out his mouth as she cradled her son in her arms. She used her shirt to clean off his head and face, marveling at the tiny, perfect child.

Carly was in awe of the beautiful little baby in her arms, so tiny and helpless. She touched the dark black hair covering the tiny head and stared at his little face that looked so much like Jack. The baby looked back at her with his eyes wide open. He stared at Carly and gave her a look that told her he knew he was looking at his mother. With tears of joy in her eyes, she leaned down and kissed the top of his head and smiled down at him.

Julia stared at the scene unfolding in front of her. She watched as mother and child bonded. She walked over to the bed never taking her eyes off the child. His child. His _son_. When she'd found out that Carly was going to have a baby she immediately began planning to somehow get her hands on the child. To take from Carly what she'd taken from her. Julia would then take Jack as well, for that's what she had done. To inflict the same pain on her that Julia had had to live with every moment of every day. And it couldn't have worked out more perfectly. A baby boy! She continued to stare at the child in fascination as she grabbed the string and scissors off the table. Tying it off, she cut the umbilical cord. She then picked up a towel, holding it open, reached out for the baby.

Carly looked up at her. There was no way in hell she would willingly hand over her baby to this woman. She looked down at her son again as the child wrapped his tiny hand around Carly's finger. Tears blurred her eyes as she struggled to come up with a plan. She needed to find some way out of this situation.

"Give me the child," Julia said coldly.

"Please, he's so little. Let me hold him for just a little while."

"No," she said completely without feeling.

Carly only hugged her him closer.

"Don't make me take him from you. You know I will, one way or another," she threatened.

Carly frantically thought through her options. Refuse to hand her son over and she knew Julia would take him by any means necessary. Hand him over and Julia would disappear with him. Carly couldn't risk that. Her third option was to try and continue to stall in order to allow Jack more time to find them.

"At least let me try and feed him first," she begged.

"I don't have time for that. Besides, I have formula… he'll be fine," she said stepping closer.

"Well at least bring me some clothes and a diaper so I can get him dressed," Carly said. She could feel herself becoming very tired. The adrenaline that had kicked in during labor was wearing off.

"I'm pretty sure I can handle it," Julia sneered. "You think just because I haven't given birth, that I don't have had a child of my own that I don't know what I'm doing?" she yelled. Anger surged through her. How dare _this_ woman judge her after all the things she'd done.

"How dare you question my skills as a parent. I'd be a parent right this minute if it weren't for you!"

"Calm down Julia. I didn't mean to imply that you couldn't handle it. I just wanted to be the one to get him dressed and clean him off," Carly said trying to reason with her. She subconsciously tried shielding her song from the ravings of this woman. The movement didn't go unnoticed by Julia.

"That's it… hand him over now," Julia growled lunging toward Carly and the baby.

"No. I won't let you take him from me," Carly cried in an attempt to scoot herself off the other side of the bed.

Because of her weakened state, Carly wasn't able to move as quickly as she normally would have and she struggled to get out of Julia's grasp. Holding her baby tightly in her left hand, Carly balled up the fist of her right and swung backwards, making contact with Julia's jaw. Julia screamed out in pain and let go of her. Carly made it to her feet and swayed slightly. She felt lightheaded and the warm trickle of blood down her legs. She grabbed the other towel off the table and wrapped her son snugly in it.

Julia, shaking off the throbbing pain shooting through her head from the blow, looked around for the knife she'd held earlier. She spotted it on the counter in the tiny cabin kitchen. Carly, noticing her movements, followed her line of sight and saw the knife. The race was on. Both of them scrambled toward the weapon, but unfortunately, Julia had the upper hand. She grabbed it and turned around quickly just as Carly reached for it. She narrowly missed slicing Carly's outstretched hand. Carly turned instinctively to protect her son as Julia swung the knife again. This time she hit. Carly cried out in pain as she felt the sting of the blade on the back of her upper arm. She stumbled forward, nearly falling as she caught herself on the bed. She sat down, still protectively cradling the baby.

Julia's eyes flashed with excitement as she saw the blood oozing from the wound she'd inflicted. She slowly walked toward her, knowing she was in control of the situation once again. "Hand over my baby… now!" she yelled at her.

"He's _my _baby. Please don't take him from me. He's innocent in all of this," Carly said weakly. She glanced at the gash on her arm and winced. She could feel her strength slipping away with the loss of more blood.

"But you're not. You should be thanking me for taking this child and raising him as my own. He won't be corrupted by you. Taught to lie and steal," she jeered.

Carly had had enough. She wasn't about to sit here and listen to Julia rant any longer. "This baby isn't yours, Julia. This baby is proof of the love that Jack and I have for each other. Jack was never yours. He was mine. He was always mine. From the moment we met in Montana, there was nothing you or anyone else could ever do to change that. He loves me. He has always loved me and he will always love me. It's about time you got that through that deluded mind of yours." Carly watched as her eyes turned almost black with rage. She glanced down at the hand that wielded the knife, waiting.

Julia looked down at her. All the anger and hatred she'd ever felt for this woman came bubbling to the surface. She wanted her to die. But not just die, that would be too easy. She wanted her to suffer. Suffer for everything she'd ever done to ruin her life. Julia watched her and noticed her eyeing the knife and had a better idea. Carly was so distracted by the knife that she didn't even see it coming. Julia curled her other hand into a fist and swung at the side of Carly's head, nearly knocking her backward onto the bed.

Carly was stunned. Her vision blurred and her free hand went to her temple to try and steady herself. In that moment of confusion, however, Julia snatched the child out of Carly's hand and turned away. "Noooooooo!" Carly screamed as she tried to stand. The blow to her head made her dizzy on top of everything else and Carly collapsed back onto the bed. The room was spinning and she could hear the baby crying.

Julia scrambled around picking up anything and everything she might need for the baby. She knew she needed to leave. Staying in one place for too long at this point wasn't safe. She crammed everything into the duffle bag and made her way out to the car. Tossing the bad into the front seat, she suddenly stopped short when she realized that she didn't have a car seat for the child.

"Shit!" she yelled in frustration. What the hell was she going to do? She contemplated lying the child on the floor of the car, but with the unpaved roads, she knew that wasn't an option. She needed this child if she was ever going to convince Jack to start a life with her again.

"Think Julia," she said out loud to herself. And then she heard it. In the distance the distinct sound of a helicopter could be heard. She closed her eyes knowing that the car was no longer an option. Thankfully, she had the trees to use as cover. She glanced around deciding which way she was going to go. She grabbed the bag out of the car and headed off into the woods.

Carly opened her eyes and then quickly closed them again. Her head was pounding and her vision was still a bit blurry. She slowly opened them, squinting around the room looking for Julia and her son. The cabin was empty except for her. Then she heard a car door shut. Panicking she tried to sit up as fast as she could. She wouldn't let Julia get away. She couldn't. She stood up and took a few steps toward the door. She wobbled on her feet and fell to the ground.

"Jack…" she whispered. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry…"

_Up in the air…_

Jack saw the cabin and the car parked outside as the pilot looked for a place to land. His hands were clenched into fists as his patience was gone. He needed to be down there, on the ground, now. He thought for sure Julia would have tried to make a run for it, but the car was still parked outside and there was no movement outside that he could see.

Then he felt a twinge in his chest. Carly! He turned to the pilot. "Land this thing NOW!" he ordered him. Jack hoped they'd made it in time…


	42. Chapter 42

**Forty-two**

The area in front of the cabin wasn't large enough to allow the helicopter to land, so the pilot landed on the dirt road, as close as he could get. Agent McNamara, who was assigned by Daryl to accompany him, jumped out of the helicopter and followed Jack to the car parked outside. Guns drawn, they peeked inside the vehicle windows. No one was inside and nothing out of the ordinary was visible.

"I'm heading to the cabin," Jack informed him. "Cover me."

"The Springfield Police should be here shortly. ETA ten minutes," Agent McNamara informed him. "You go in the front and I'll head around back."

Jack nodded and cautiously headed for the door of the cabin. It was quiet. He couldn't hear anything from inside. As he made his way up the couple of steps to the porch, where he noticed that the door was slightly ajar. Jack positioned himself next to the door and ducked his head around quickly to get an idea of what he would be facing. What he saw made his heart stop. Carly facedown on the floor, unconscious and lying in a pool of blood.

"Carly… Carly! Can you hear me, baby?" he yelled forgetting everything else as he rushed to her side. He gently rolled her over and immediately noticed how flat her stomach was. He brushed the hair back off her face and felt for a pulse at the base of her neck. Panic tore at him as he felt around, trying to find a sign of life. He finally did, but it was weak.

"Oh thank God." He breathed a sigh of relief. He picked her up and carried her over to the bed. Sitting down beside her, he leaned down and kissed her forehead, resting his cheek against her. "I'm here now. Just stay with me, Carly."

He took a moment to look her over and was horrified by what he saw. There was blood all over her and she had a gash on her arm that was bleeding. He tore off his jacket and ripped his shirt to tie off on her arm to slow the loss of blood. As he pulled the shirt tight, she moaned in pain.

"Carly… sweetheart… it's me," he said gently leaning down close to her ear.

"Jack…" she said weakly. She slowly turned her head toward him and attempted to open her eyes.

"That's right. I'm here. Everything's going to be ok," he said, trying to reassure her.

Carly's breathing became labored as she tried sitting up. She reached out to him grabbing at his shirt. "The baby…" she gasped. "She has our baby…" she choked out and collapsed back onto the bed.

"Carly!" Jack yelled, shaking her gently. She had stopped breathing and he felt for her pulse again. He couldn't find one.

At that moment, Agent McNamara came in the cabin. "Detective Snyder," he called out as he entered.

Jack looked at, terrified. "I need that medical team here now!" he yelled.

He began CPR as the fear of loosing her engulfed him. "Don't you leave me Carly," he told her as he continued with the chest compressions. He breathed into her mouth and began again. "Please God no. Don't do this to me… I need you Carly," he said through clenched teeth. Tears stung his eyes and he continued to try and resuscitate her. Thoughts of her consumed him. Memories flashed through his mind. The good, the bad, the absolutely wonderful. All the craziness they'd gone through and survived together. She couldn't leave him now. Not when their lives were so complete.

"You are much too strong to give up now lady," he whispered to her. Agent McNamara made a call and informed Jack that the paramedics would be here in two minutes.

"You gotta fight Carly," he urged her as he continued with the CPR. Jack could hear the sirens in the distance.

"Carly's had the baby. Check the rest of the cabin for any signs of Julia or the baby. We also need to start to searching the woods. She has to be out on foot, so she couldn't have gone too far. However, she most likely has my baby with her, so we need to use extreme caution upon approaching her. We don't want to force her to do something to hurt the child," Jack told him. He felt numb. As much as he wanted to give in to all the emotions crashing around inside him, he needed to remain calm and think as rationally as he could.

After what seemed like hours, the paramedics finally arrived and Jack stepped back as they continued to try and revive Carly. He moved around to the other side of her and grabbed her hand bringing it to his lips. He tenderly kissed the palm as tears fell down his cheek onto her hand.

"I love you… I need you," he whispered staring tearfully at her face as the paramedics continued to work on her, willing her to fight. Then he felt it. Felt her hand slightly flinch as if trying to squeeze his thumb.

"I got a pulse!" one of the paramedics called out. "We need to get her to the hospital immediately. She's lost a lot of blood already."

"Can she be airlifted to Memorial in Oakdale?" Jack asked. He wanted her to have her own doctors. Plus, it was home, which allowed him to be close to the kids as well.

"Oakdale is too far of a trip for her to take right now. Once she's been stabilized and strong enough to make the trip, we can transfer her to Memorial," the paramedic said.

Jack nodded and knew they were right. He certainly didn't want to jeopardize Carly's recovery. He continued to hold onto her hand, needing to feel her, be close to her.

Agent McNamara came into the cabin. "There's no sign of Julia around the immediate area of the cabin," he informed Jack. "How did you want to proceed?"

"Give me a moment. I need to make a phone call. Could you please call Margo Hughes and update her on the situation out here? I'd appreciate it."

Jack immediately felt torn about the decision needing to be made. He wanted nothing more than to stay with Carly and make sure she was going to be alright. Now that he found her, he didn't want to leave her again. The thought of something happening to her and him not being there scared the hell out of him. It was unbearable and something he knew he wouldn't be able to live with. However, Julia had their child. Their sweet, helpless child. He knew what Carly would want him to do. And he would do it, even though it was going to kill him to leave her again.

He watched as they brought in a gurney and placed her on it. As the paramedics began preparing an IV for her, he pulled out his phone and made a quick call to Rosanna.

"Jack… did you find her?" she asked as she answered her phone.

"I did. However, I need you to do something for me Rosanna."

"Oh thank you," cried Rosanna. "And anything you need Jack, all you have to do is ask," she sobbed.

"I need you to get to the Springfield hospital immediately. Carly is going to be taken there by helicopter, but I can't go with her. She's had the baby…" he began.

"Are she and the baby alright?"

"Carly has lost a lot of blood. They had to revive her once already," he said choking on the words.

"No!" she gasped. "What about the baby?"

Jack swallowed hard. "Julia has the baby," he said quietly. "She took off on foot out into the woods before I got here." Rosanna started crying all over again.

"I need you to go to the hospital and be there for Carly until I can get there. I have to find our baby. I can't let Carly down again," he said unable to hold back the tears any longer.

"Oh Jack… you haven't let her down," she said trying to console him.

"That's not how it feels right now," he said dejectedly.

"Jack, you've been amazing. Carly would never, ever blame you for any of this. You have to know that. She loves you. Just remember that and everything will be ok."

"Thanks," Jack said wiping his eyes.

"Now, you find him and bring him back safely to Carly," she said drying her own tears.

"Him?" he whispered catching her slip of the tongue. Jack closed his eyes and let that sink in.

"Oh… I… mean…" Rosanna stammered.

"It's a boy?" he cried, unable to really believe it. He ran a hand through his hair. "Are you sure?"

"Yes. I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have said anything. I knew you wanted it to be a surprise. I'm sorry I ruined it," she apologized.

"You didn't ruin anything. I _am_ surprised… happily so," he said smiling even though his heart was breaking. A son. He could hardly contain the joy at the thought. And then the terror of the situation crashed in again, dragging him back to reality. The paramedics were finished attaching the IV in Carly and they began making their way out to the helicopter.

"I need to go, Rosanna. They're getting ready to put her in the helicopter now."

"I'm on my way. Don't worry about Carly. I'll take care of her until you get back. I promise," she said.

Jack hung up the phone and followed Carly outside. Holding her hand he leaned down and whispered into her ear. "You're going to be ok now. I'm going to go get our son. I love you," he said kissing her cheek.

He watched as they lifted her into the helicopter. He moved back and out of the way as the chopped lifted up into the air. He watched it as it took off for the hospital, his heart breaking at not being able to go with her.

"Detective Snyder," McNamara began as he approached him, "I spoke with Chief Hughes and let her know what's going on. She and some other officers are on their way. However, until then… how did you want to proceed?" The officers from the Springfield Police came up and stood behind him, waiting for instructions.

Jack gave them a brief summary of Julia. He also made sure to emphasize that they approach her with caution. She was armed and extremely dangerous. Plus, she had his son. "I don't think she wants to hurt the baby, but if cornered there's no telling what she'll do. If we spread out in teams of two, I think that will be our best chance."

"We have additional units on the way out here," said one of the officers.

"Good. We need everyone we can get," Jack said. "Let's move out," he ordered.

"I've already called and informed Agent Sullivan of the circumstances," McNamara informed Jack as they headed to the car. Jack felt they needed to start here looking for possible tracks.

"Thank you," Jack replied as he studied the tracks outside the driver's side door. These are the tracks we need to follow," he indicated.

They did their best to follow the tracks into the woods. At times they would disappear almost completely, only to turn up a short while later in some softer dirt or mud. The anxiety was draining. Waiting to hear something from the other officers, the need to find Julia himself, worrying about Carly… all of it was weighing heavily on him.

They came to a small stream, small enough for them to step across. Jack crossed to the other side, looking for any signs of Julia or his son. The sun dipped behind the clouds. The air was cool and that worried Jack. He didn't know what she had for the baby. He looked around the ground for anything and spotted some markings. He knelt down to get a better view.

"Did you find something?"

"Maybe," he said turning his head to both sides. "I see some tracks over here, but I can't tell which direction they head," he indicated by pointing to the tracks heading off in 2 separate directions.

"Did you want to split up from here?" McNamara asked.

"Yeah. I think that would be a good idea. Why don't you head South and I'll head North," he decided.

"Sounds good."

Jack stood up and faced the opposite direction from where Agent McNamara was heading. North he thought to himself. Thoughts of Carly and of all the times they'd needed each other filled his mind. No matter the situation they'd always made it through together. The intimate knowledge between them and their constant pull always showed them the way when they needed it the most. "_North_," he thought again. It had always led him in the right direction in the past. In his heart he knew it would show him the way again.

_Elsewhere…_

Julia trudged through the woods looking for a place to hide, a main road, anything that might help her keep away from the people she knew were following her. The bag she was carrying was beginning to really irritate her. She had slung the bag on her shoulder, but because she was carrying the baby, the bag kept slipping off her shoulder and sliding down to her elbow. That then caused the bag to hang at the point where she'd kick it or it would bang against her knees. It slid down again and she cursed under her breath. She was about ready to drop it and go on without it.

She stopped and pulled it back up to her shoulder, attempting to secure it up there. It was a bit awkward with only one hand. She shifted the baby and he started whimpering a little. That's all she needed. She had to ensure the baby kept quiet until she was out of the woods. Otherwise, it was be too easy for the people looking for her to find her.

"Shhhh" Julia whispered.

The baby continued fussing and began to cry in earnest.

"There, there. Don't cry," she pleaded as she patted him gently on the back. "Are you hungry?" she asked out loud. She looked around, trying to decide whether or not to continue in the same direction or if she should change it up. She listened for a moment, trying to discern if she could hear Jack or someone else coming for her. The baby continued to cry. She hefted the bag up onto her shoulder again as she continued in the same direction. She didn't notice that one of the diapers had fallen out.

_Meanwhile…_

Jack continued to follow the tracks to the North. He was feeling pretty good about that decision since the ground around here was fairly soft and allowed for easy tracking. He heard his phone go off in his pocket and stopped to answer it.

"Snyder," he answered.

"Jack… it's Margo. I just arrived here at the cabin. What's your situation?" she asked.

"Several officers from Springfield, Agent McNamara and myself are out searching the woods. We fanned out from the cabin."

"Have you found anything yet?"

"McNamara and I came to a small stream and found some tracks on the other side. We split up from there. He was heading South, I went North. I haven't heard anything from him though."

"The other officers and I will then start fanning out from the cabin as well. Check in with me every 30 minutes, ok?"

"You got it," Jack said hanging up his phone.

He continued to follow the tracks looking for anything. It was nearly time for him to check in with Margo and he was beginning to feel discouraged, when he finally saw something. He hurried forward and bent down to get a closer look. An unused diaper. Jack's heart thudded in his chest. He didn't want to get his hopes up, but this could NOT be a coincidence. He looked down at the ground again and saw the same tracks that he had back at the stream. His senses were heightened in desperation to find something. He stood up and listened, his ears straining to hear the crack of a branch or the rustling of leaves on the ground. He slowly turned in a circle looking for a splash of color, movement, anything that seemed out of the ordinary. Nothing. He sighed heavily as he continued on.

_Elsewhere…_

The baby continued to fuss and cry and Julia decided that she needed to fix a bottle for the baby. She walked over to the small stream that she'd been walking along side and knelt down. She took off her coat and laid it down on the ground and then placed the baby on it. She set down the bag and rummaged through, looking for the bottle and the formula.

"Shhhh," she said absentmindedly as she began preparing a bottle with the stream water. Because of the bubbling of the water and the baby's cry, it made it hard to hear anything.

_Meanwhile…_

Jack continued along through the woods following close to the stream. He held the diaper in his hand. It was almost a comfort to him, holding it. Something of his son's. He took a few more steps when he immediately stopped suddenly. A baby's cry! He concentrated and listened again. It could be his mind playing tricks on him… wishful thinking. He stood still, held his breath and waited. The tiny cry sounded again and he nearly dropped to his knees as the relief washed over him. He crept forwarded slowly and carefully so as not to attract attention. He made his way through the woods using the trees to stay hidden. He peered around a tree trunk and he saw her. She was kneeling on the ground, bent over the stream and there next to her on the ground he could see a small wrapped and wiggling bundle. He'd found him! He sent a prayer of thanks heavenward. The natural instinct to run over and grab his son was overwhelming. Seeing him this close and not being able to touch him was torture. He watched Julia as she was attempting to make him a bottle. He felt somewhat relieved at that. However, now he needed to figure out the best way to approach Julia without causing her alarm. He didn't want her doing something drastic. He decided that he needed to call Margo and Agent McNamara to let them know he'd found her and approximately where his location was. He slowly backed up until he felt he was out of earshot of Julia. The last thing he needed was for her to overhear him and take off again. He took out his phone and called Margo.

"This is Hughes," she answered.

"Margo, I found Julia and the baby," he said keeping his voice low. "She doesn't know I've found her yet."

"Where are you?"

"I'm Northwest of the cabin. I told you that McNamara and I split up at the stream. Well, I'm due North of there. If you head due West from the cabin, you'll come to a small stream. Just head north from there," he explained.

"So you're still alone?"

"Yes. I'll call McNamara after I get off the phone with you. However, I think it would be best if you could send some officers around to the other side, so as to cut her off."

"That's a good idea. From what I can tell looking at the map of this area, that stream leads up to a lake. There are several roads North of where you are. We could probably get the cars and the other officers up there in about 15 to 20 minutes. I can also send the helicopter to try and keep her in view," she offered.

"I think the helicopter might spook her and I don't want her to panic. At this point she seems to be feeling like she's still in control. If that changes, her only bargaining chip is my son."

"Wait a minute," Margo began, "did you just say your son?"

Jack couldn't help but grin. "Yeah, I did. We had a little boy. It was actually his cry that I heard that led me to them."

"Awe Jack… congratulations. We're going to get him away from her and then you're going to bring him back to Carly," she promised.

"That's the plan. But listen Margo… we need to do this carefully. I will not risk the life of my child," he said seriously.

"No one is going to do that," she assured him. "I'll just send our guys around to cut her off."

"Thanks Margo. Call me when they're in position and I'll approach her."

"Will do," she said and hung up.

Jack quickly called McNamara and related the information to him. He waited for him to make his way to Jack's location. Jack stood and watched Julia tend to his son. She picked him up and held him as she attempted to get him to feed from a bottle. It looked like she was having some difficulty, but she kept at it. Jack's fingers ached to touch him, to hold him, to keep him safe. Several times he had to close his eyes to fight the urge to walk over and grab him from her. The baby continued to fuss and Julia was loosing patience. Jack watched anxiously as she decided to stop the feeding attempt. She put him back on the ground and began to pack up the bag. It was at this point that Agent McNamara arrived.

"She still there at the stream?" he asked.

"Yeah. She was trying to feed him a bottle."

"Are the other officers in position?"

"Not yet," Jack answered but then his phone began to vibrate. "Perhaps they are," he said as he answered the phone. "Margo?"

"Yes. Ok Jack, the guys are in position. Is McNamara there with you?"

"He just arrived." "Alright then. I'll let you approach her. Have McNamara send up a signal if you want the guys to move in," she said. "Good luck, Jack."

"Thanks Margo."

Jack took a deep breath and his thoughts wandered to Carly. _I found him, sweetheart. Just hang in there and I'll bring him back to you. _Jack watched Julia pick up the bag and then his son. She adjusted the bag on her shoulder and turned around to begin heading North once more. Jack walked up behind her, accidentally snapping a twig in the process. He stopped short as did Julia. She slowly turned around and looked him dead in the eye.

"Hello Julia," he said.


	43. Chapter 43

**Forty-three**

Julia stood as still as a statue. She was unable and unwilling to move at the moment. The object of her desire, of her entire world, was standing not 20 feet away from her. He was as handsome as ever. Older but he still had that boyish charm about him too. She looked him over from head to toe. He wore a light jacket with a navy polo shirt and jeans that fit him in all the right places. His hair was a little longer than the last time she'd seen him face to face. It had some gray in it but it suited him and made him even better looking, if that was possible. And those eyes. Those dark, brown eyes that he now directed at her with an intense purpose. She had better be on her guard. There was no telling what he was going to do.

Jack stood facing Julia. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail and very dark red in color. And not a subtle red either. It was a bit on the bright side and unflattering at best. The color seemed to drain her face of all color and it made her look sick. _Mentally she is_, Jack thought to himself. She had on jeans, a t-shirt and a jean jacket. A duffle bag was slung over one shoulder and in her arms was a tightly wrapped bundle. Jack's eyes fixated on the child. His child… his son. His heart ached to hold him. He steeled himself against the rush of emotions filling every inch of him. He needed to be alert, on guard and at the top of his game when dealing with Julia. His son's life was at stake.

_Meanwhile…_

Rosanna rushed into the hospital in Springfield. Looking around she glanced the nurses' desk and quickly approached the counter. One of the nurses was on the phone with her head down. There didn't seem to be anyone else around. Rosanna let out a frustrated sigh and began anxiously tapping the palm of her hand on the counter. The movement was immediately noticed by the nurse and she raised her eyes to Rosanna, giving her disapproving look. Rosanna stopped the motion instantly and pulled her hands away. She crossed them tightly in front of her and began looking around for someone else that might be able to help. She spotted someone leaving a nearby room and she quickly engaged them.

"Excuse me please," she began politely. "My name is Rosanna Cabot. My sister Carly Snyder was just brought in here. Can you please tell me which room she is in?"

"The nurse can direct you in a moment," the doctor replied, indicating the nurses' desk with a nod of his head.

"Actually, it's an emergency and the nurse seems to be on a rather lengthy phone call. Is there anyway you could please help me out?" she asked forcing a smile.

The doctor let out a sigh but agreed. "Come with me," he said turning around and heading toward the desk. Rosanna followed along gratefully.

"What did you say your sister's name was again?"

"Carly Snyder. She was brought in by helicopter not more than an hour ago," she told him.

"Let's see here. Looks like she's in room 2367."

"Thank you so much," Rosanna said appreciatively. She looked around trying to decide which way to head.

Anticipating her next question he spoke up. "If you follow this hallway down and to the right, you'll come to a set of elevators that will take you to the second floor nurses' station. They'll be able to show you to her room."

"Thanks again," she smiled and headed down the hallway.

_Back in the woods…_

Jack stood there quietly observing her. He could see the conflict of emotions flitter across her face. He was sure the same could be said for him. Thankfully years of training had prepared him for situations like this. Though honestly, he thought to himself, could anything really prepare you? He studied her as she debated her next move.

Julia watched Jack. She couldn't tell what he was thinking. He was holding his emotions in check and that was her first clue that she needed to be wary. He didn't want her to know what he was really feeling. Instinctively she pulled the child closer and saw a reaction. The tiniest of movements. His eyes blinked a couple of times and his fingers flexed involuntarily. He wanted his son. Now it was just a matter of figuring out how he felt about the rest of the situation.

"Hello Jack," she said softly. "It didn't take you very long to find me."

"You didn't make it easy," he said cautiously never taking his eyes off her.

She smirked. "Is that supposed to flatter me?" she asked snidely.

"No. I'm just being honest."

She snorted. "Yeah right. You haven't been honest with me for a very long time, Jack. Why start now?"

Jack appeared thoughtful for a moment. "That was a long time ago, Julia. Let's put all that behind us. There's no need to bring that up. What's done is done. Let's just move forward."

Her brow furrowed as she tried to comprehend exactly what he was saying. She looked up at him. Doubt combined with hesitation mingled on her face. Could he really be offering to put the past behind them? Did he really just want to move forward, like he said?

"Why are you being so nice to me?" she asked, clearly skeptical of his intentions.

"Enough people have gotten hurt. I don't want to see anyone else harmed," he said gently.

She narrowed her eyes and glanced down at the child she held. She slowly raised her eyes up and looked back at Jack. "You don't care about me. All you care about it this baby," she hissed.

Jack opened his mouth to reply but she cut him off.

"Save your breath, Jack. Don't even try to deny it. I know how badly you want me to give you this child," she said feeling herself getting all riled up as she began pacing. "Don't you see? That's exactly what I've wanted to do. For years now, that's all I've wanted. To give you a child. The child we lost. "

"Julia," Jack began slowly. "You can't replace the child we lost. It was a terrible thing, but it wasn't anyone's fault."

"Wasn't anyone's fault…," she trailed off. She looked at him like he was insane. "How can you say that?" she screamed. "Of course it was someone's fault. It was _her_ fault. She tricked you and made you do things that you normally wouldn't have. She's the reason I lost the baby. It's all her fault!" she raged.

The baby began to fuss and cry due to the ranting of Julia. She looked down at him with a frantic look in her eye. "Be quiet… stop crying," she yelled.

Jack was freaking out. He hadn't meant to cause Julia to go into a frenzy. He'd been trying to talk rationally with her. Obviously that wasn't going to work. He decided to change his tactics and reach out to her vulnerable side.

"It's ok Julia. I'm sorry. You're right. It was someone's fault. It was mine," he told her.

She became quiet for a moment as she digested his words. The baby also calmed down as if hearing his father's voice was a comfort to him.

When he saw that this was working, he continued on. "I was the one who was weak. I was afraid. Afraid of getting hurt so I pushed the one person who meant the world to me away. I turned my back on them and created a huge mess. The situation got completely out of control and the longer it went on, the more damage it did. Things happened that never should have happened. I take responsibility for hurting the person I loved." As he spoke, he subtly inched his way closer to her and the baby.

Julia stood there listening to him. She had a dazed look on her face. Was he finally admitting that he loved her all along? She'd waited so long to hear those words. She couldn't believe it was actually happening.

"Do you mean that Jack?" she whispered.

"Every word of it," he said unflinching.

She looked down at the whimpering baby. "I've only ever wanted a family with you," she told him.

"I know," he said as he continued to watch her carefully.

"I wanted to raise a family there in Oakdale. Have picnics out at the farm with Emma, Christmases with Lily and Holden, just normal family things," she said wistfully. "But now everything is ruined."

"We can make things right, if we try."

"Really?" she said looking hopefully at him. "Because I would like to try. I know it will take some time getting used to being together again. But we love each other Jack," she smiled taking a small step forward. "We can get through anything together."

"First things first, we need to get everything settled," he said trying to keep himself calm.

"What do you mean?" she asked warily.

"Well, the baby needs to be checked out by a doctor to make sure everything's ok," he told her.

Julia became silent. "Are you trying to trick me, Jack?"

Jack stood up straight. "No. I want to make sure the baby is alright. A newborn shouldn't be outside. We need to get him to a doctor so that they can make sure he's healthy."

"Are you questioning my mothering skills?" she asked him as she became agitated all over again.

"No Julia. I'm just looking out for my son."

She blinked a few times as the realization of that statement sunk in. "_Your_ son. Not _our_ son?"

"I didn't mean anything by that," Jack tried to reason with her.

"This has all been a set up, hasn't it?" she shrieked. "I knew I couldn't believe you. You don't care about me!"

"Julia calm down. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you," he pleaded.

"You _are_ going to be sorry Jack Snyder. You're going to be sorry you ever met me. I am going to make you suffer like no one has ever suffered before. You thought that when I tortured you before was bad… you haven't seen anything yet," she growled at him. "You will never, _ever_ see this child."

_Back at the hospital…_

Rosanna arrived at the second floor nurses' station and was directed to Carly's room. The nurse opened the door and Rosanna followed her in.

Carly lay on the bed sleeping peacefully. The nurse checked the monitors and made a few notations on her chart as Rosanna pulled up a chair alongside her sister's bed.

"Carly," she whispered. "It's Rosanna. It's Rosebud." She turned to the nurse. "How is she doing?"

"She lost a lot of blood and we had some problems getting the entire placenta out. However, everything is looking good. She's resting now, which is the best thing for her," the nurse explained.

"Thank you," Rosanna said offering her a smile. She lifted one of Carly's hands and held it. "You hear that? You're going to be just fine. All you need to do is rest."

Carly moved her head slightly, but her eyes remained closed.

"Jack will be here soon," she said softly. "And he'll be bringing your beautiful baby with him." She gazed at her sister as a lone tear fell down her cheek.

_Back in the woods…_

Julia looked around frantically. She was trying to determine her next move. She needed to get away. Away from him and his sugar-coated lies. She was weak around him and she knew it. She glanced behind her to the left and saw the small creek. To the right were more woods that led who knew where. She looked back at him and saw him advancing slowly.

"Don't come any closer, Jack!" she warned him.

"Let's just take it easy. I'm sure we can work this all out," he said calmly as he continued to advance.

"Not one more step or I swear you'll regret it!" She reached into her jacket pocket and withdrew the knife, holding it close to the baby.

Jack stopped immediately as the fear for his child's safety ripped through him. "Julia… you don't need to do this. It's me your mad at. There isn't any reason for you to harm him," his voice cracked showing his vulnerability.

"You don't get it!" she screamed. "I could never be mad at you. It's not your fault. It's _hers_. She's the one who ruined everything. She's the one who needs to pay!" She looked down at the baby in her arms. "She took my baby from me. Now I'm going to take her baby…" she said almost as if she was in a trance. She pulled the blanket away from the child's face and stared at him.

While she was distracted, Jack slowly reached into his jacket and withdrew his revolver from its holster. He moved his arm so that the weapon was partially concealed behind his back.

"Julia," he began, "you don't want to do this. I know you wouldn't hurt a child."

"You're wrong Jack," she chided him. "You never really knew me. You pretended to but it was all just lies. I would do anything to get you back and make you love me."

"This isn't the way to go about it. Just put the child down so you and I can talk."

She laughed maniacally and shook her head. "Do you really think I'm that stupid? I know this child is what you're after. Which is why you are going to let me go."

"Really? And why am I going to do that?" he asked cautiously.

"Because you don't want me to kill your son," she said coldly.

_In the hospital…_

_Carly opened her eyes slowly. The bright morning sunshine was streaming in through the window casting the room in a bright yellow. She smiled and stretched and gently sat up. She propped a couple of pillows behind her back and thought she smelled the faint hint of coffee aroma in the air. It smelled delicious. _

"_Jack could you bring me a cup of coffee?" she called to him. She glanced around the room. Somewhere in the back of her mind something was wrong. She couldn't put her finger on it, but she knew something wasn't right. She folded her hands in her lap as she thought about it. And then it dawned on her. Her lap was no longer firm and round. She ran her hand over the flatness and looked around wildly for the baby crib. She spotted it in the corner. It was charred and blackened and the sheets were burnt and singed._

_From the other side of the room she heard the door creak open. As she turned her head the rays of sunshine that had been pouring in through the window were now gone turning the room dark. "Jack?" Carly called out as she looked to see who was coming in._

_She walked into the room with a menacing smile upon her face. Carly's voice stuck in her throat as she tried to call out for Jack. Julia walked slowly over to Carly, carrying something in her arms. Carly was scared. She tried calling for Jack again, but still nothing._

"_Don't bother calling for Jack," Julia said with a wicked smile. "He won't be able to help you anymore."_

"_No," Carly cried. "No… don't say that!"_

"_It's true. Your precious G-Man is dead and I killed him!" she said laughing hysterically. "As for your son," she said looking down at the tiny bundle in her arms. "Don't worry about him… I'll take care of him too." She smiled triumphantly at Carly and turned and walked away._

_Carly frantically tried to remove the covers and get out of the bed to chase after Julia but she couldn't. She kicked and screamed but it was no use._

Rosanna sat in the chair next to Carly holding her hand. She could tell that Carly was having some sort of vivid dream. She turned her head this way and that and she would moan every once in a while. And then it happened. All the monitors seemed to go off at once. Rosanna stood up immediately.

"Carly!" she pleaded looking into her sister's face.

Several nurses and a doctor rushed into the room and began checking the monitors and tending to Carly. One of the nurses pulled Rosanna aside.

"You'll need to wait outside," she said gently helping her toward the door.

"What's wrong with her?" Rosanna asked panicked.

"We're going to try and help her. Just wait outside and a doctor will be out to talk with you in a little while."

Rosanna took one last look at her sister before the door closed.

_In the woods…_

Anger and desperation surged through Jack as he stood across from Julia. She'd just threatened the life of his son and it was taking every ounce of self control he had not to react. He didn't want to force her hand but he couldn't just stand by and not do something.

Julia began to sway back and forth as she hummed a little tune. She still held on tightly to the knife in her right hand. She smiled and looked at Jack.

"He looks like you, you know."

Jack's heart ached. He closed his eyes. He wanted to hold his son so badly. He looked at her and gave her a sad smile. "I'd like to hold him," he said softly.

She looked at him regretfully. "I'm afraid I can't let you do that." She looked back down at the tiny infant. "He would have been so handsome. Just like his father."

Terrified at the words she'd chosen, he stared at her. "Would have been?" Jack whispered.

"I'm sorry Jack," she said sadly. She slowly brought the knife up closer to the baby. "I can't let him live."

Jack swallowed the fear and remained focused. "Julia. I won't let you hurt him," he warned her.

She looked at him and he could see the challenge register in her eyes. He brought his gun around and pointed it at her. "You won't get away with it."

She looked at him with a smug smile. "You won't risk hurting your son," she said snidely. She brought knife up pointing it at the helpless child in her arms. "Your move Jack," she challenged him.

Jack looked into those cold, heartless eyes and knew she was beyond help. He wouldn't be able to reason with her. She was determined to make Carly and him suffer and she wasn't against using an innocent child to accomplish this. He made the decision, aimed his gun and fired...


	44. Chapter 44

**Forty-four**

Julia staggered backward as the bullet pierced her right shoulder and the force of the impact knocked the knife out of her hand. The pain burned the entire length of her arm and she sank to her knees as she succumbed to agony of it.

Jack kept his gun trained on her as he cautiously advanced. He needed to get his son away from her as quickly as possible. At the sound of the gunshot, McNamara came out from his hiding position. He leveled his gun at her as well, but stayed at a distance. As Jack crept closer, Julia's grip on the baby tightened. She twisted away from him and attempted to reach the knife that had fallen a few feet away. She froze as Jack spoke.

"Don't move Julia," he warned her, his gun still pointed at her. "It's over."

She turned her face to look at him. Anger, pain and hatred contorted her face to the point that Jack almost didn't recognize her. "I'll never let you take this child from me. You'll have to pry his cold, limp body from my dead fingers before I let that happen," she snarled.

Jack's heart dropped into the pit of his stomach. It had been awhile since he'd heard the baby cry or make a sound. He was overcome with fear that something was wrong with the baby. He'd been outside, unprotected for too long. Jack knew that it was crucial to get him away from Julia and to a doctor immediately. He had no time to waste. He wasn't about stand here and argue with her any further. Enough was enough.

"There's no where to go, Julia. The area is surrounded." Jack continued to inch forward.

Julia, still on her knees, moved closer to the small stream that gurgled nearby. She was running out of weapons. The knife was too far out of reach for her to get to before Jack did. Her only other option was to use the baby. He was her only hope in making it out of here alive. "Don't come any closer. I swear I'll dump him in the water," she threatened.

Jack momentarily stopped and weighed his options. With Julia hurt, it would be a struggle for her to get to the stream and Jack was pretty sure he could get to her and the baby before then. But, if he wagered wrong the consequences could be disastrous. He took a second to glance around. Behind Julia, he could see the other officers from the Oakdale PD stealthily making their way closer. Agent McNamara made his was to a more advantageous position and had Julia directly in his sight. The next move was Jack's.

Everything happened at once. Jack gave a slight nod to McNamara. Julia noticed the tip off and struggled to get to her feet to make a dash toward the water. Jack lunged toward her and the baby just as she was about to attempt to toss the baby into the water. He grabbed his son and spun out of the way as Julia stumbled. Agent McNamara and the other officers raced forward once Jack and the baby were clear and she reluctantly surrendered defeat.

Jack stood off to the side and pulled back the blankets to check on the tiny child he held in his arms. He was so tiny. Smaller than he remembered Sage being when he'd delivered her. Jack looked over his tiny face and held his hand over his chest. He felt the small rise and fall indicating that the little guy appeared to be sleeping. Jack let out a sigh of relief as he closed his eyes and offered up a silent thank you. He wrapped him up snuggly, but continued to marvel at the child in his arms. He was so overcome with love as he brushed a finger over his soft black hair and watched as he smiled slightly. The mouth was definitely Carly's, he thought to himself smiling. His smile faded as his concern for her overwhelmed him. He looked up and surveyed the scene in front of him.

Julia was now in handcuffs, provided by Agent McNamara who was reading Julia her rights. The other officers were still in position, making sure nothing went wrong. Out of the corner of his eye, Jack saw Margo heading towards him on her phone. He turned and made his way to her. He needed to get to the hospital to have the baby checked and to see how Carly was doing.

"Jack! Are you and the baby alright?" Margo asked him as she hung up her phone.

"We're both ok I think. I need to get him looked at. He's been outside for too long," he said coming to a stop in front of her.

Margo leaned over to take a look at the baby held safely in his arms. "Oh Jack," she exclaimed. "He's so handsome and so tiny. It's hard to think Adam and Casey were ever that small," she said wistfully.

"Is there a helicopter available to transport us there quickly?" he asked. "We don't have a car seat and I'd rather not risk it," he said protectively as he looked down at his son again.

"One is on its way right now, but it was supposed to transport Julia back to Oakdale. What we can do though is put her in a squad car while I request another chopper that way you and the baby can take the first one," she said.

"Thanks Margo. About how long until it gets here?" Jack asked but then got his answer immediately as he heard the distinct sound of a helicopter off in the distance.

"It won't be able to land anywhere around here," Margo said looking around. "Further ahead," she said pointing in the opposite direction Jack had come from, "there is a road that is wide enough for it to land on. I'll make sure that's where it's headed," she said leading the way.

"Jack! Jack!" came the familiar shrieking. Julia was frantic to get his attention.

He held his son closer as he glanced back at her.

"I did this for you," she pleaded. "I love you Jack! And I know you love me. You told me you loved me. You promised me," she wailed desperately.

"Come on Jack," Margo said quietly.

Jack turned his back on Julia without a word and followed Margo. As they walked through the woods he continued to check on his son to make sure he was ok. He seemed to be fine, just sleeping peacefully and Jack was again grateful. "You're tough," he said softly to him. "Just like your mommy. Let's go and see her, shall we?" he said as he kissed his tiny forehead. Jack swore he saw him smile.

_Meanwhile…_

Rosanna paced the floor of the waiting room for word on Carly's condition. She'd been rushed from the room as the doctors and nurses attended to her. Rosanna wrung her hands with worry. She had to pull through this. It seemed forever that they'd been in there and still no word.

The door to her room opened and Rosanna held her breath as a nurse exited. "Excuse me," she said but the nurse ignored her as she hurried off down the hall. Rosanna watched her go, feeling helpless. She hated this. She felt the vibration of her phone before she heard it ring. She dung frantically into her purse to find it hoping it was Jack with good news.

"Jack!" she said desperately.

"Sorry no, it's Daryl," came his warm voice on the other end.

"Oh… hi," she said softly.

"I was calling to check in with you to see how things were going. How is Carly?"

Rosanna felt herself loosing control. "I don't think it's very good," she said quietly. "I was in her room with her and all of a sudden all of her monitors started going off and the doctors rushed me out of there. They've been in there forever and I still haven't heard anything," she told him as her eyes filled with tears.

"What about the baby?"

"Jack went after him. I guess Julia took off with him while she left Carly to die. I haven't heard from him either, which was why I was hoping you were him."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I'm so glad to hear from you. I needed it. I can't stand being here by myself and not being able to help my sister. I hate this feeling helplessness. I'm not used to it. I suppose that makes me sound like a brat."

"No, not at all. I know exactly how you feel. Being cooped up in this hospital bed is driving me crazy. I want to be out there, helping Jack find his son and capture Julia. I'm glad to know that I was at least able to make you feel a little better."

"Talking to you always makes me feel better," she said softly. She could feel herself blush at admitting that to him. He had a way of making her feel all tongue-tied, which was something Rosanna wasn't used to. She had always prided herself on being very articulate and outspoken. However when she got around Daryl, all the years spent in those private schools went right out the window. She couldn't think rationally, she just reacted.

"I'm glad," he grinned into the phone. "I feel the same way."

Daryl could tell by the tone of her voice that she was blushing, a little nervous and she was possibly twisting a strand of hair around her finger. He'd noticed her do it a couple of times when they'd had dinner a few nights and the night she'd asked him into her suite. He hadn't gone there with the intention of staying the night. Things had just progressed naturally. Daryl didn't regret a thing and he hoped that Rosanna didn't either. Unfortunately they hadn't really talked about that night since. All their phone calls while she was in Europe had been polite and, if he had to admit it, a bit awkward. There had been lots that he'd wanted to say but didn't think it was right to do it over the phone. He had been looking forward to her return. Unfortunately, things hadn't worked out well since he ended up in the hospital. He was getting stronger though and if all the tests went well tomorrow, the doctors felt he was ok to be released. He was hoping that he and Rosanna could sit down and discuss things. He had had lots of time to think about what he wanted both personally and professionally and it was time to get that all in order.

Rosanna stopped playing with her hair when she noticed another person emerge from Carly's hospital room. "Just a second Daryl," she said into the phone as she walked over to the doctor. "Excuse me," she said to the back of the doctor as he made his way down the hallway. He stopped when he heard her voice.

"Yes," he said turning around to face her.

"Carly Snyder is my sister. Can you please tell me how she is? Is she ok?"

"We've stabilized her. We're running some tests now. I'm actually on my way down to the lab," he told her.

"Can I see her?"

"Not yet. But soon," he added when he saw her reaction. "Let us finish running the tests and then you can go in."

"Alright. Thank you," she said giving him a small smile. She stood there quietly for a moment forgetting that she still held her phone to her ear.

"Are you ok?" Daryl asked her. "I heard what the doctor said."

She sniffed. "Yes. I'm fine. Carly's the one who's not. She needs Jack," she said desperately. "Where the hell is he?"

_Elsewhere…_

Jack held his son tightly as the helicopter prepared to land on the hospital roof. It had been a short trip, only about 20 minutes and for that Jack was grateful. As they got closer, he could see a medical team waiting for them. They landed and the hospital staff rushed over and helped Jack and the baby out of the helicopter. Even though Jack knew he would be in good hands, it was hard for him to relinquish his son. The entire trip he'd held him and just looked at him in wonder. He'd spoken to him gently and he'd opened his eyes wide and looked back at him. There was something so pure, so innocent and yet a wisdom behind those eyes.

Jack followed closely behind them as they took his son, now officially "Baby Boy Snyder", into the hospital to get tested. Again, Jack had to face a huge dilemma. Stay with his son or find Carly. He knew Rosanna was with her and he also knew what Carly would want. He needed to see her. Or find out how she was at the very least. He decided to follow the doctors to NICU and then give Rosanna a call.

Once there, they asked Jack to remain in the waiting room until they ran their initial tests. Jack kissed his head once more before allowing them to leave. He stood outside the glass wall and watched as they begin to run a series of tests. Jack couldn't have explained why, but he just knew that his son was going to be ok. He pulled out his phone and dialed Rosanna to check on Carly and to find out what room she was in. The phone rang a few times before she answered.

"Jack, is that you?" Rosanna asked. She sounded funny and Jack's instincts told him something was wrong.

"Yes, Rosanna. How's Carly? Is something wrong?"

"Oh Jack! I was in the room with her a little while ago," she began. She could feel the tears threatening to fall and she tried to remain calm on the phone. "All of a sudden her monitors started beeping and the doctors and nurses rushed in and made me leave. I haven't been able to see her since," she said unable to stop the tears. "They said she lost a lot of blood in the cabin and that there had been some problems getting the placenta out. But they haven't told me anything else since. This not knowing is driving me crazy. Please tell me you found the baby," she pleaded.

"I did," Jack responded. He wanted to elaborate more but his mind was racing. Carly was in trouble and he needed to be there. "I'm actually here in the hospital. The baby and I just arrived by helicopter and we're in the NICU. They're running some tests, but I think he's going to be fine. He's a tough little guy," Jack said with tearful pride. His thoughts and heart still drifting back to his need to get to Carly. "Do you think you could come up here and wait with him while I stay with Carly?"

"Oh Jack, of course. I'm so happy you found him and that he'll be ok," Rosanna bawled. "Carly's in room 2239."

"Alright, I'll be right down. I'll leave your name with the nurse here so that she knows you're family and she can relay information to you. Call me if anything changes."

"Of course. I'll head up there now. And Jack… thank you."

"For what?"

"For finding them. I don't know what I would have done if…" she stopped, unable to complete the sentence.

"Stop. It's my fault they were in that position to begin with," Jack stated. "I didn't do my job."

"Jack, you're a cop not a superhero," Rosanna told him.

"Not as a cop, as a husband. I didn't protect her and the baby like I said I would." He held his head in his hand as memories of his life with Carly flooded his mind. The good, the bad, the beautiful. All of the little moments when it had been just the two of them, when nothing else in the world mattered. "She has to pull through this, she has to. I need her… I can't live without her," he said choking on the last words.

"You need her and she needs you," Rosanna said fiercely. "Believe that."

"I do. Thanks Rosanna," he said softly. "I'm on my way."

A short time later, Jack arrived outside Carly's hospital room as one of the medical staff emerged from it, nearly bumping into him.

"Can I help you?" she asked.

"My name is Jack Snyder. Carly Snyder," he said pointing to the room, "is my wife. I'd like to go in and see her," he stated rather than asking her permission.

"Since you're her husband that shouldn't be a problem. Go on in. She's sleeping. Her blood pressure spiked earlier and nearly sent her into cardiac arrest. We were able to bring it down, but it's still high," she explained as she held the door open for him to enter.

Jack hadn't seen her since she'd been airlifted to the hospital. Her coloring was better and she was all cleaned up. She looked peaceful as she lay there. He walked over to her side and bent over to kiss her head as he smoothed back the hair from her face.

"Carly," he whispered. "I'm right here, honey." He picked up her hand and brought it to his lips, kissing the back of her hand lightly. He held her hand to his heart so that she was touching him.

"I found him Carly. I found our son. You did great, lady," he told her with tears in his eyes. "He's so handsome. I think he and Parker have the same nose," he chuckled. And he has your mouth," he said tearfully as he reached out and brushed his thumb across her lower lip. "He's a fighter, just like his mommy. And so I need you to fight and come back to me, to all of us. We need you… I need you."

Jack wiped the tears that had escaped as he stood at Carly's bedside. He continued to hold her hand, needing to have that physical connection to her. A short time later, his phone went off. He dug into his pocket to retrieve it. The caller ID said it was Rosanna.

"How's the baby," he said as a way of answering.

"He is just fine. Better than fine, actually. He passed all of his tests. He's absolutely perfect," she said beaming.

Jack felt an enormous amount of tension leave his body at the news. "They said that? That's he's perfect," he asked her.

"Well, they said he didn't suffer any effects from being outside for so long. His color, heart rate, breathing and movement were all right where they needed to be. I added the perfect," she admitted. "But take my word for it, he is. I'm holding him right now and he's looking at me with these big bright eyes. He looks so much like you Jack," she gushed. She took a breath before continuing. "How is Carly doing?" she asked changing subjects.

"They're waiting on the test results. I guess her blood pressure spiked, setting off the monitors. I'm with her right now. She's sleeping, but I'll tell her the good news. I'm going to ask her doctor if it would be alright for the baby to come down. I think it would help if she could maybe sense the baby near. I'll let you know what they say."

"Sounds good. Did you want me to call Lily for you to let her know what's going on?"

"I would really appreciate that if you could. Please make sure to tell her to keep Carly's situation from the kids as much as possible. I don't want them worried more than they already are."

"I will," she said gently as she hung up the phone.

"You hear that? Our little guy is going to be fine and according to your sister, he's absolutely perfect," he smiled down at her. I'm so proud of you, Carly. I can't imagine what you must have been going through. It killed me, not knowing where you were or if you were ok." He closed his eyes as the memory of those feelings came flooding back. He shook his head to wipe those thoughts from his mind. "You are the strongest woman I have ever met. I love you so much," he whispered in her ear as he gently touched his forehead to hers. He kissed her cheek and let his own cheek linger against her face. He felt the tiniest flutter. He pulled back to look at her and saw her eyelashes blink slowly as she struggled to open her eyes.

"Carly…" he said imploringly. He watched as she gradually opened her eyes and allowed them to adjust to the light.

She looked around tentatively until her eyes came to rest upon his face. They widened in recognition and she slowly raised her free hand to touch his face.

He caught her hand and held it there against his cheek as he moved his head slightly to kiss the palm of her hand. "It's going to be ok now."

"Jack," she whispered so softly it was barely audible.

"That's right honey, I'm right here," he smiled through the tears.

"You found me. I knew you would," she smiled as her eyes began to close again.

"Yes I did. Carly? Stay with me," he begged her, worried that she was growing weak.

"I am. I'm just really, really tired," she explained. "Face it, you're stuck me forever," she teased him, patting his cheek lightly.

"And I'm never letting you out of my sight again," he promised leaning down and kissing her lips.

"I like the sound of that G-Man," she said tenderly as she drifted off to sleep once more.


	45. Chapter 45

**Chapter Forty-Five**

Jack sat at Carly's bedside watching her sleep. He couldn't keep his hands off her. His need to have that constant contact, the reassurance that she was there, was his only desire at the moment. He'd nearly gone out of his mind trying to find her. They'd been away from each other for over a week since she'd supposedly headed to Europe with Rosanna. It had been the longest week of his entire life. They'd talked on the phone but that had been little consolation. She and the kids were his life and when she was gone, there was a huge black hole left behind.

It was the little things that he'd missed most. Coming home and seeing her things around the house, evidence of her presence. The coffee cup on the table, baby things spread out on the sofa or the smell of her perfume lingering in the air. Sitting down together after dinner and after the kids had headed upstairs; they would talk about their day or what they had planned for tomorrow. Then they'd head upstairs themselves for bed. He would be ready in a matter of moments, but she had her routine. He'd lie on the bed and just watch her, mesmerized. He never got tired of it. Watching her brush her teeth and hair, putting on her lotion. Sometimes she would catch a glimpse of him and she'd reward him with a flirtatious smile that would ignite the passion that was always there between them, bubbling just under the surface. She'd crawl into bed next to him and rest her head on his chest. It was his favorite time of day - laying there holding her.

When Julia had taken her and Jack was trying desperately to find her - it was those memories, those perfect moments that had kept him going. The thought of never holding her again nearly drove him insane. So, there he sat holding her hand in his. He gently rubbed his thumb against the back of hers. She was sleeping soundly, but every once in awhile he would feel her hand give his a tiny squeeze.

Jack heard the gentle knock on the door and turned his head to see one of the pediatric nurses enter the room followed by Rosanna carrying his son. Jack reluctantly let go of Carly's hand but not before brushing his lips against the palm of it. He stood up and walked over to Rosanna as she handed the sleeping child over to him. She smiled at both of them and kissed the baby's head before speaking.

"How is she doing?" she whispered in the darkened room, looking over at Carly.

"She's doing a lot better. She woke up a little bit earlier, but only briefly. She's been sleeping for the last several hours," he said quietly back to her, though he never took his eyes off his son. "How's this little guy doing?"

"Very well. As a matter of fact, he just had a bottle a little while ago and he didn't have any issues with it. The doctor said that since Carly's improving and the baby is thriving that there isn't any reason why they can't share the same room now." At that moment, another nurse quietly entered the room pushing an infant crib and placed it in the corner.

"That's great news," Jack said finally looking up at Rosanna. "Thank you so much for being here. I don't know what I would have done without you. The thought of having to leave Carly alone while I searched for our son," he said stopping to take a deep breath. "Well, it was the hardest thing I've had to do in a long time." He could feel the emotions begin to build again as he started to relive the events of the last 48 hours in his mind.

"Don't think about that now. Everything is going to be alright," she said reassuringly as she patted his arm. "You found Carly and you found this little one," she said as she bent over his head and kissed him again. "I just can't keep my hands off him," she laughed quietly. "He's just absolutely precious, Jack."

"He is, isn't he," he agreed with a lopsided grin.

"How are you doing? Have you slept at all?" she asked him.

"No. I'm fine. I'll get some sleep later once I have Carly and the baby back in Oakdale." He walked over to the chair next to Carly's bed and sat down.

Rosanna walked over to him and placed an arm on his shoulder. "Jack… you need to get some sleep. You can't keep going at this pace forever."

"I'll do whatever I have to in order to bring them home," he said but then the recollection of what had happened to their home hit him hard. The beautiful nursery was gone as was most of the rest of it.

Rosanna could see the change in demeanor almost instantly. She walked around to the other side of Carly's bed, so that she was facing Jack. She picked up Carly's hand and held it.

"Lily told me what happened to the house. I'm so sorry Jack. Can it be fixed?"

Jack took a deep breath and sighed. "I don't know. The insurance company was going to send someone over to take a look at the structural damage and make a decision," he told her. "For now, I guess we'll move out to the farm."

"I'm sure Emma will be thrilled to have you. Besides, it'll give her a chance to see that sweet little boy everyday," she smiled as she nodded to the baby.

"Speaking of which, what name did you and Carly come up with?"

Jack smiled. "Yeah, I suppose we can't keep calling him Baby-boy Snyder, huh? Actually, I want to wait for Carly to wake up to make it official."

Rosanna smiled and looked down at her sister sleeping peacefully. "She looks so much better," she said with relief in her voice. "She really had me scared there for awhile."

"Me too."

"It's pretty late. I'm going to head to a hotel that's close by the hospital. I'll be back in a couple of hours and after I've had a shower," she chuckled. "Do you need anything before I go?"

"No, we're going to be just fine," he smiled.

She returned his smile and kissed Carly's head before turning to head out the door. Jack spoke once more before she left.

"And Rosanna… thanks again for everything."

_Meanwhile…_

On a separate floor in the hospital, Margo sat dutifully outside one of the rooms. Inside, was Julia. She was scheduled to be released in a few hours and was to be transported back to Oakdale for processing on all her current and past charges. Margo took a sip from the coffee cup she held in her hand. It was nearly empty and the last few sips were cold. She grimaced as she downed the last bit of liquid from the cup. Glancing at her watch, she stood up and stretched and walked over to the garbage can a few feet away and tossed her cup in. A moment later, her guard duty replacement walked around the corner.

"Hey Chief!" he said cheerily as he walked over to her.

"Fitzpatrick… you're late," she said tapping her watch and looking back up at him with a stern look.

"What?" he said looking down at his own watch before looking back at her to see the large grin on her face.

"I'm kidding. You're right on time. I just finished my coffee."

"Geez, you had me worried for a minute," he laughed. "So, how's the patient?" he said tipping his head in the direction of Julia's room.

"Quiet. She's been sleeping for quite a while now. The nurses have checked in on her off and on. They usually come by every hour or so." She picked up a clipboard off the floor that was next to the chair she'd been sitting on.

"Make sure anyone entering the room is on this list. She's been given only specific doctors and nurses to make it easy on us. If they're not on the list, they don't get in. Got it?"

"Yes Chief," he said seriously. "Are you headed back to Oakdale?"

"Very shortly. First, I'm going to check in with Jack to see how things are going and then I'll head back to Oakdale to wait for Julia," she told him. "Call me with any questions."

"You got it," he said as he sat down and made himself comfortable.

A short while later, Margo arrived outside Carly's hospital room and knocked softly on the door before entering. She walked into the dimly lit room and spotted Jack sitting in a chair next to Carly's bed as he held his sleeping son.

Jack looked up at her as she came in and he gave her a smile.

"How are things going, Daddy?" she asked with a grin.

"Couldn't be better," he said with a sigh of relief. "Carly's improving and the baby doesn't seem to have been affected at all by the chaos surrounding his birth."

"He's tough just like his dad."

"No, he's tough just like his mom," Jack said seriously.

"No matter what my issues have been with Carly over the years, I would never say she's not tough. She's a fighter and I'll admit that I admired that about her."

Jack looked at her incredulously before his face broke out into a boyish grin.

"Don't tell her that though," Margo added sheepishly.

"My lips are sealed," he laughed. "So what brings you by?"

"I wanted to check in with you before I headed back to Oakdale. Keep you posted on where we're at."

"Where's Julia?"

"Still upstairs in her room. She's cuffed to the bed until she gets released and then she'll be taken back to Oakdale to be processed personally by me."

"I appreciate you taking care of it, Margo."

"Of course Jack. I know you'd like to be involved, but you have people who need you right now. Just focus on taking care of Carly and the kids. Leave the rest of it to us."

"Thanks."

"I'll call you once I've processed her," she said as she turned and made her way toward the door. "Give my best to Carly," she said as she left.

_Meanwhile…_

Back upstairs, inside the guarded room, Julia lay still on the bed. She looked peaceful and quiet but that was just an illusion. She was wide awake and her mind was racing. She had to come up with some sort of plan to get out of the predicament she was in.

Rage simmered just under the surface as well. She couldn't believe that he had actually shot her. When the bullet had hit, it had punctured more than just her arm. It ha punctured her heart, relatively speaking. It had destroyed the last shred of hope that Julia had that she and Jack would be able to make a new life together. Her focus was still on Jack but now her thoughts took on a much more sinister twist. She had plans for Jack Snyder.

However, at the moment, she had more pressing needs. She needed to figure out how to somehow get away from the police. She overheard Margo and another cop discussing that she was to be transported back Oakdale once she got the all-clear from the doctor. She needed to get away before then. Once she was back in Oakdale, it would be all but impossible to escape. _Think_, she told herself. She took some soothing breaths and slowly opened her eyes ever so slightly. She wanted to maintain the illusion of sleep. She glanced around the room looking for something… anything that might be able to help her. Her eyes roamed about the room until they came to rest on her medical charts at the end of the bed. That's when she saw it. The answer to her prayers.

_Back in Carly's room…_

Carly felt him before she saw him. She knew Jack was in the room with her before she even opened her eyes. He was talking to someone in a hushed voice be she couldn't hear who it was. _Perhaps he was on the phone_, she thought to herself. She opened her eyes sleepily and was greeted by a sight that she had envisioned only in her dreams.

Jack was sitting in the corner of the room, in a rocking chair with their son. He rocked gently speaking in a hushed voice, pausing every once in awhile to kiss the child's forehead. Carly's heart felt like it was going to burst with joy and she felt her eyes fill with tears of joy at the beautiful sight.

Jack sensed she was awake without her having to say a word. He lifted his head and flashed her a smile that made her knees weak.

"Hello beautiful."

"Hi," she smiled back. The lights of the hospital room were dimmed and there didn't seem to be a lot of activity outside the room.

"What time is it?" Carly asked looking around for a clock.

"Almost 4:30 in the morning," he replied in a sing-songy voice as he peered into the face of the little one in his arms. "How are you feeling?" he asked her as he got up out of the chair and made his way over to the bed.

"I'm feeling much better," she said as she stretched only to wince slightly at the soreness in her arm from where Julia had cut her the knife.

Jack noticed her discomfort immediately. "Are you ok?" he asked worriedly.

"I'm fine," she reassured him. "Just a little stiff and sore. Remember, I did just have a baby," she smiled.

He looked at her without amusement. His eyes spoke volumes.

Carly grew serious once more. "I really am fine, Jack." She broke their eye contact to look down at the small bundle lying peacefully in his father's loving arms. "How is he doing?" she asked tentatively as she slowly moved into a sitting position.

Carly had never been more afraid in her life as she had been in the cabin. Not for her own safety, but for her son's life. She didn't know what Julia's intentions were and she hadn't known when or if she'd ever see him again.

"He's perfect," Jack said, the pride nearly bursting out of him.

"And you wouldn't be biased now, would you?" she teased.

"Well, I certainly am," he said in that same sing-song voice he'd used earlier as he looked at their child. "But, I am actually quoting the pediatrician. "He's perfectly healthy and strong," he said with a smile.

"And they're sure that there's nothing wrong?" she asked needing that affirmation.

"Yes they are. But, it looks like mommy is going to want to see for herself," Jack said to the baby. He leaned down and placed the snuggly wrapped baby in her arms.

Carly felt a huge weight lifted off her shoulders at holding her son again. She looked down into the miniature face of her husband and felt the tears well up.

"Hello again, little one. I've missed you," she said softly as she kissed his cheek.

She laid him down on her lap as she pulled the blanket away. Now free, his arms and legs wiggled slightly. He made a face to indicate that he did not like having the warm blanket taken away.

"What are you doing?" Jack chuckled perplexedly.

"I'm just checking for my own peace of mind," she said with that stubbornness Jack knew all too well.

"I guess that's mommy's prerogative," Jack said to the baby as he lay down on the foot of the bed.

She pulled off his hat and laughed as the jet black hair lay all haphazard. She smoothed it out and turned her attention on the rest of him. She checked out his toes and held onto his hands, marveling at the perfect child in her lap. Once she was satisfied with her inspection, she bundled him back up securely.

"Has he eaten recently?"

"I fed him a bottle about an hour ago. He finished almost half of it. The nurse did mention that you could try feeding him whenever you felt up to it," he said as he looked up into her face to gauge her reaction.

Carly's face lit up with excitement. She very much wanted to do just that. She adjusted her gown and held him to her. It was a bit clumsy at first, but he finally latched on and Carly felt another wave of relief wash over her.

Jack watched as Carly nursed the baby. He'd been waiting for moments like this since Carly told him she was pregnant on their wedding day. He laid there on the bed, his head on his hand and watch the mother and child bond instantly.

"I love you," he said softly, not wanting to disturb the moment.

She turned her bright blue eyes to him. "I love you too," she whispered.

"I can't tell you how…" Jack began searching for words to explain everything that he'd been feeling over the past couple of days. He bent his head trying to get a handle on his emotions.

"How mad are you?" Carly asked hesitantly.

"I'm mad as hell," he said meeting her eyes but then got confused when he saw the hurt register on her face.

"Oh," she said averting her gaze and instead focused on the nursing child.

"Wait a minute," he said slowly as he leaned in closer to get a good look at her. "Do you think I'm mad at you?"

"Well, aren't you? You know, for lying about going with Rosanna," she admitted with regret on her face.

"Carly," he said gently. "I'm not mad at you. I'm furious with Julia for hurting you and taking our son." He lifted her chin to make sure she saw that there was nothing but love in his eyes for her. "But mostly, I'm angry with myself for not protecting you and this little guy." He tenderly picked up the baby's hand and smiled when he wrapped his tiny hand around his finger.

"I went about it all wrong and it nearly cost me everything," he said shakily at the thought of loosing her all over again. "I'd die without you."

Carly reached out and placed her hand against his cheek. "Oh Jack," she said looking into his sad, brown eyes. "It wasn't your fault. I was just too stubborn and headstrong and made a reckless decision. I'm so sorry."

"Shhhh," he said as he leaned up brushed his lips against hers. Her lips were parted and he let his linger ever so softly, savoring every moment. He pressed his lips against hers and kissed her slowly and deliberately. The tip of his tongue grazed her lip and she sighed in contentment as her body relaxed into his.

It was at that moment that the feeding child disengaged himself and wiggled a bit reminding Carly that the rest of the world had not disappeared as it always seemed to when she and Jack connected. Jack broke away with a sly grin on his face recognizing the disorientation on her face because he always felt it too.

"I'm sorry. Did we forget about you?" Carly said sweetly to the baby as she lifted him up and placed him on her shoulder to burp him. "We would never do that, would we?"

"Absolutely not buddy," Jack laughed quietly.

"Did I imagine it or was Rosanna here?" Carly asked him, changing subjects.

"Nope. Not your imagination. She's been here since you arrived. She's staying at the hotel nearby."

"It's so strange. I have all these bits and pieces of things in my head and I don't know for sure what was real and what wasn't."

"She said she come back by later this morning. She'll be very happy to see you. I don't know what I would have done without her," he told her.

"I'm glad you weren't alone. But you had Daryl too and I'm sure Margo and the guys," she said.

"Actually, Julia got to Daryl before she took you."

"What? What happened?"

"Julia followed Daryl to his suite at the Lakeview and stabbed him. He's alright," he added quickly as he saw the panic appear on her face. "He's still recovering back in Oakdale though."

"Oh my God. That's terrible. This is all my fault. I should have gone to Germany with Rosanna."

"No. Enough Carly. You and I should not be taking the blame for this. This," he said indicating all around them, "is no one's fault, but Julia's. She's the one who's going to pay for every single thing she's done," he said determinedly.


	46. Chapter 46

**Chapter Forty-six**

Living on the run had its advantages. For Julia, the advantages far outweighed the things she'd had to give up. At least at this moment.

Julia sat in the wheelchair as she was being pushed through the hospital corridors towards the exit and the waiting patrol car, ready to take her back to Oakdale. Back to prison. Her hands were folded neatly in her lap, secured by the shiny silver handcuffs. She stared mindlessly at them watching the images of the passing scenery reflect against the metal surface. She appeared to be sedated, however, she was anything but. Her mind was always thinking, always calculating. She had a plan. She just needed to wait until the right time to execute it.

She could see the automated doors coming closer and the awaiting police cruiser parked right outside. Margo Hughes was walking ahead of her along with another officer. There were two behind her, including the one pushing her wheelchair. Margo looked back at her but Julia ignored her. She continued to stare at the handcuffs. She slowly and cautiously rubbed her thumb against the material of her sweatpants. She'd been given a change of clothes prior to her release. The ones she'd been wearing had been placed into evidence. So now she donned a matching grey sweatshirt and sweatpants. She smiled slightly when she felt the small ridge under the clothing's surface.

Since she'd spent the last several years in hiding, she'd had to develop certain skills in order to survive. It had been a difficult life to get used to. She could have used her family money to run off to some foreign country, obtain a new identity and perhaps live a relatively normal life. However, that would have made things difficult to stay near him and keep tabs on his life. She'd been determined to stay close so that when the right moment came, she'd be there and ready to reenter his life and try for reconciliation. Unfortunately the right moment hadn't presented itself. Sure, he'd left her and divorced her several years ago. It hadn't come as a shock to Julia. She knew she wasn't worthy of his love. Inconveniently at that time, Julia was in no position to return to Oakdale. She had encountered a bit of trouble when the people she'd been living with had been arrested on suspicion of terrorism and she found herself on the run again looking for sanctuary. Julia herself hadn't been involved in those crimes, but she had picked up some very valuable skills during her stay with them.

So, it was as she'd laid there in her hospital bed last night that she'd noticed the small item that might be able to get her out of her current predicament. She saw the shiny silver paperclip attached to her medical chart at the end of the bed. She couldn't reach them as she was still cuffed to the bed, but the time would come when she'd be free. It just so happened that on her way to the bathroom later that morning she'd had a dizzy spell causing her to reach out for the foot of the bed and causing just enough of a distraction that she was able to procure the paperclip and hide it. In the bathroom she'd attached the clip to the waistband of her underwear. The police had been thorough and had patted her down before she'd left the hospital room, but the paperclip was small enough that its presence went unnoticed.

Margo stopped just in front of the doors and allowed the other officers to go ahead of her. Julia was pushed through the doors and her chair came to a stop alongside the back door of the car. It was then that she saw something out of the corner of her eye. She turned her head and she saw him. She hadn't seen him since the incident in the woods. He was discussing things with Margo and in one brief moment glanced in her direction. One of the other officers came around behind her and opened the backdoor. The officer who had been pushing her came around to her side and helped her to stand. Making sure she didn't hit her head on the roof, he helped her into the backseat of the car.

Jack watched as she was placed into the car. He'd come down when Margo informed him that Julia had been released and they were taking her back to Oakdale. He had wanted to be sure that everything went smoothly. Once she was on her way back, he'd be able to breathe a small sigh of relief. He watched her slide into the backseat. She turned and looked directly at him. What he saw made his blood cold. The smile she gave him was a warning and a very deliberate one at that. Jack's instincts went on overdrive and he started going over everything again with Margo and Agent McNamara.

"Are you sure you want to drive back with her?" Jack asked for the third time.

Margo sighed and shook her head. "Yes Jack. We have two cars to escorting her back to Oakdale. We'll be fine."

"Don't worry Jack. I'll be in the car with her," Agent McNamara told him.

"Whatever you do, don't underestimate her," Jack warned him giving one last look at Julia.

Margo patted Jack on the arm and changed the subject. "So when are you, Carly and the baby heading back?"

Jack pulled his eyes off the car holding Julia and looked at Margo. "As soon as the doctors give her the all clear, we're going to fly back. Rosanna has a plane ready to go whenever. It'll hopefully be later today. She's doing a lot better."

"That's great news, Jack. Why don't you head back up to Carly. We can handle this. Just focus on getting Carly home and let me take care of the rest," Margo said.

Jack reluctantly agreed. He turned and headed back into the hospital. He could feel Julia's eyes boring into his back the entire time.

Julia watched him leave. A mixture of emotions swirled around inside her. Love, hate, sadness, desire, desperation and anticipation… all of them vying for control. She needed to remain calm so as to be able to do what needed to be done.

Officer Fitzpatrick and Agent McNamara would be in the car with Julia on the ride back to Oakdale. Margo and Officer Hopkins would be in the other car. Margo walked around to the other side and gave some last minute instructions to Fitzpatrick before he got behind the wheel of the car. She walked over to the other police car, got behind the wheel and pulled out, beginning the drive back to Oakdale.

_Meanwhile…_

Carly sat up in her hospital bed nursing the very hungry baby boy. She was feeling so much better and was very anxious to get out of the hospital. Jack had excused himself a short time ago, claiming he had police business to take care of. Carly could tell by his change in demeanor and the anxiousness of his voice that it had something to do with Julia. She'd nodded and given him a smile before he kissed her cheek and promised to return shortly. Carly heard the door open and looked up eagerly, expecting to see Jack. It wasn't him, but a welcomed sight nonetheless.

"Good morning!" Rosanna said cheerfully walking into the room with a huge bouquet of flowers. "How are you feeling this morning?"

"Much better," Carly replied with a smile. "Those are gorgeous. Thank you so much!"

"Of course. And how's my nephew? Hungry I see," she laughed as he noisily nursed in response.

"Yes. He's very hungry this morning which is a good thing."

"Where's Jack? Did he finally pass out from exhaustion? I swear the nurses were going admit him if he didn't get some sleep," she teased.

"He had to go talk to Margo," Carly said seriously.

The smile on Rosanna's face faded. "About Julia?"

"Yeah. At least I'm pretty sure. He wouldn't say but told me he'd talk to me about it later."

"Well I'm sure there's nothing to worry about. You know Jack. He just probably wanted to make sure everything was under control."

Carly nodded. "I just wish she was someplace else, you know. It's a bit unsettling knowing that she's here in the hospital," she said looking back down at the baby who'd fallen asleep while nursing. She carefully pulled her gown over herself making sure not to disturb him.

Rosanna bent over him and kissed his head. "I can't get over how much he looks like Jack," she gushed.

"I know. Emma had given us some of Jack's baby pictures and it's almost as if they're twins, I swear," Carly smiled. "Did you want to hold him?"

"Absolutely!"

Carly handed over the sleeping infant to her sister. "Have you talked to Daryl?"

Rosanna smiled. "Yes. I spoke with him this morning. He's doing a lot better and thinks he's going to be released tomorrow."

"That's great news. When Jack told me what had happened, I felt horrible. If I'd just listened to everyone and gone with you to Germany none of this would have happened."

"Stop it Carly. You didn't cause any of this. That raving lunatic did. And I for one am thrilled that she'll finally be behind bars where she can't hurt anyone anymore. Good riddance!"

"I'll definitely feel safer knowing she's locked up."

"Besides, Daryl knows the risks involved with his job. He's apparently had a lot of close calls or so he tells me."

"How are things between you?" Carly asked curiously.

"Good," Rosanna said as the tiny hint of pink appeared on her cheeks.

"Better than good, I'd say by the look of you," Carly teased her.

Rosanna cleared her throat and turned away determined to change the subject. "So… Jack wouldn't spill last night. He said he wanted to wait until you woke up," she began.

"Wanted to wait for what?" Carly asked dumbfounded.

"On announcing the name," she said with a smile turning back around to face her sister.

"Oh," Carly said softly clearly touched by Jack's thoughtfulness.

"So…" Rosanna said expectantly. "Do I have to pry it out of you?"

Carly laughed and started to tell her when there was a knock on the door and in walked Jack.

"Jack!" Carly beamed when she saw him walk in.

He surveyed the scene and saw Rosanna holding the baby. When his eyes made contact with Carly's everything else faded away as he made his way to her. "Told you I'd come back," he whispered quietly in her ear before kissing her on the neck.

She shivered at the sensation as the goose bumps spread from her neck down her arm. "Is everything ok?" she asked looking him straight in the eyes.

"It will be soon," he assured her brushing his nose against hers before turning around to focus his attention on his son. He reached out for him but Rosanna turned away before he could lift him out of her arms.

"No one is getting to hold this child until someone tells me his name," she said adamantly.

Jack leveled a glare at her that reminded her very quickly that he would not allow anyone to come between he and his child, even good naturedly.

Carly looked sympathetically between her husband and her sister.

"Ok, given the recent situation I can see where that might not have been the wisest choice of words," Rosanna stammered as she looked apologetically at Jack and handed the baby over to him.

"Rosanna had just asked me about that right before you came in," Carly told him. "She said that you'd told her that you wanted to wait until I was awake." She gave him a look that told him how sweet she thought that was.

"Sorry Rosanna. I'm just a bit oversensitive when it comes to Carly and the baby," he apologized.

"It's completely understandable Jack. I was really just teasing when I said that," she assured him.

"I know, I know." He smiled at her and then walked over to the bed and sat down next to Carly.

"So," Carly began ready to share teh news. "We've decided to name him Michael Robert Snyder," she said as she gently touched the jet black hair on his tiny little head. "We named him Robert after Jack's father."

Jack reached out and touched her cheek as he remembered back to that night.

_Carly had just found out that afternoon what she was going to have. She had made a special dinner and she had told the kids the news as they sat around the table. Jack had excused himself and did the dishes while she told the kids. Later that evening they'd retired upstairs. They were lying in bed, wrapped in nothing but each other after having made love. Jack was lying on his back with an arm behind his head. Carly propped herself up on an elbow and looked down at him._

"_So, you're sure you don't want to know?" she began as she lightly traced her fingertips across his chest. "How are we supposed to decide on a name if you want to be surprised?"_

_"We'll just have to come up with a name for each," he said simply as he wrapped his other arm around her and rubbed her back._

_"Alright," she sighed. "If it's a girl..." she asked laying her head on his chest._

_"What do you think of the name Amanda?"_

_"I like that. It's pretty. So... what if it's a boy?"_

"_I'm not sure. There isn't anything that really jumps out at me," he said as he kissed the top of her head. _

"_How do you feel about Robert… after your father?" she asked softly._

"_Really?" he said incredulously, obviously touched by the gesture._

"_I know how much you loved your dad. He was a wonderful father and loving man and if we had a boy I would be honored to have our son share his name," she said tilting her head to look up at him._

"_You have no idea how much that means to me," he said cupping her face and pulling it down gently so that he could kiss her lips. They'd made love again slowly, taking their time and savoring the moment._

"I love it," Rosanna said softly, breaking into Jack's thoughts and bringing him back to the present. "It's perfect!" she said as she took in the touching scene of the little family on the bed.

"Knock knock," came a voice at the door.

All three heads turned in unison to see Carly's assigned obstetrician walk in.

"How are you feeling this morning?" he asked.

"Wonderful," she said beaming from head to toe.

"I can tell," he smiled back.

"I'd like to examine you and double check your vitals so we can see if you're ready to go home. How does that sound?"

"You have no idea how good that sounds," Carly laughed.

"I'm going to step outside while you get checked out and I'll be back in a little while," Rosanna said excusing herself.

"Here let me have him," Jack said grabbing the baby and getting out of the doctor's way. "We'll just sit over here in the rocker and have some guy time," he grinned at her.

A short time later, the doctor was through with his examination. "Well, everything looks great. Your blood pressure has come down and your vitals are where they should be. If you feel up to it, you can get out of here today," he told them.

"That's great news! Thank you so much," Jack said standing up and walking over to shake his hand.

"She'll need to have a follow-up with her own doctor within the next couple of days, but she's perfectly capable of traveling home. Just don't overdo it. Take it easy and no stress," he said sternly reminding Carly.

"You obviously don't have a clue about my life," she laughed. "Asking me to avoid stress is like asking me not to breath."

"It's imperative that you remain stress-free for the next week or two. Once your body has fully recovered, there shouldn't be any lingering affects. Can you make sure she sticks to that?" he asked looking at Jack.

"No stress. I got it," Jack said winking at Carly.

"Alright, I'll go and fill out your release forms. You can be out of here within the hour," he said smiling as he left the room.

"Can you believe it? We get to go home! I can't wait to see the kids," Carly said happily.

"They're going to be so excited to see you and the baby," he told her as he walked back over to the bed and sat down next to her.

"We do need to talk though," he said not really wanting to, but knowing they couldn't avoid the subject any longer.

Carly looked up into his dark brown eyes and felt the warmth of them seep into her. "About the house?" she questioned softly.

"Yes. I have no clue whether or not the insurance company has sent someone out to do an inspection or not yet. However, for the time being… how do you feel about staying out at the farm with Emma?"

Carly thought for a moment. The farm. It seemed like everyone in Oakdale had one time or another lived out at the farm. It wasn't home, but it was a warm, safe place. "Are you sure Emma is ready for all of us? I mean that's six of us now."

"You know Emma. To her the house is happier when it's full of people. She'll be thrilled to have us. Plus, it'll give you an extra set of hands to help out whenever I'm at work."

"You aren't going back to work right away, are you?" Carly asked concerned.

"No, not right away. But I do want to make sure everything is taken care of in regards to Julia when I get back. I don't want any loose ends. I want her locked up for good this time."

"I know… I do too. It's just that," Carly stopped as she collected her thoughts before continuing. Jack studied her face and the little crinkle on her forehead as she contemplated how to continue.

"I realize that you want to be involved and make sure she's locked away. Can't you do all that over the phone? I'm just… it just makes me nervous thinking of you too close to her. It scares me."

"Honey, you don't have anything to be scared of. Julia's in police custody. She's not going to get away again," he said pulling her close and kissing her head. "Remember what the doctor told you… no stress. Don't worry about Julia.

"That's easier said than done," she said dryly.

_Meanwhile…_

An hour later, Julia was sitting in the backseat of the police cruiser making her way back to Oakdale. She'd been slowly working on opening her handcuffs with the paperclip she had hidden in her waistband. She'd been successful with the first one fairly quickly. The second one was a little more tricky because she had to keep up the illusion that he other one was still locked.

The road was beginning to become windy and Julia knew that she needed to work quickly. She remembered this stretch of road from her trip a few days ago. As she had concocted this plan, she had come to the conclusion that if she was to have any success in escaping it had to happen on this particular part of the trip. The sharp corners and the way the road weaved back and forth made it nearly impossible to keep up with the first police car. There would naturally be enough room created between the cars to work to her advantage. Plus the road had pretty steep drop off on the passenger side. She worked the lock methodically until she heard the tiny click. She grinned inwardly, making sure not to arouse suspicion. She glanced ahead out the front window and couldn't see the other police car. It was now or never. Julia began groaning in the backseat.

"Quiet back there," Agent McNamara said glancing back at her.

"Oh… I think I'm going to be sick," she moaned.

"You're just going to have to deal with it," he told her unsympathetically.

Julia had expected this. She leaned down lower and using one of her free hands, made herself throw up.

"Oh God," Office Fitzpatrick said as he rolled down a window. "That's just great."

Agent McNamara rolled his eyes in irritation at the situation. "Feel better?" he asked.

"Noooooo," she groaned. "I think I'm going to be sick again," she said weakly.

"I'm stopping," said Fitzpatrick.

"What the hell?" McNamara said turning to him. "You know we're not supposed to stop without authorization."

"There is no way I'm going to drive all the way back to Oakdale in a car smelling like puke. Let her be sick on the side of the road. I'll clean the car and then we'll continue on our way," Fitzpatrick told him as he pulled over and stopped the car.

"This is not a good idea," McNamara said as he got out of the car and opened the backdoor.

Julia slowly slid out the door making sure to keep her hands as still as possible so she didn't expose the fact that the cuffs were no longer doing their job. She swung her feet out and placed them on the gravel on the side of the road and leaned over inhaling the fresh air, playing her part for all it was worth. She sat there with her head down but she kept her eyes on McNamara. He stood there, leaning against the open car door with his arm resting on the top of it. His jacket was pulled back exposing the gun inside its holster against his chest. She closed her eyes and smiled slowly. Sometimes it was all too easy…


	47. Chapter 47

**Chapter Forty-seven**

Jack walked into the hospital room with a smile on his face. "You ready to go?" he asked.

"I've never been more ready in my entire life," Carly smiled as she finished getting the baby dressed. "Where's Rosanna?"

"She's waiting for us at the airport."

Jack grabbed the diaper bag of supplies they had collected here at the hospital and held open the door for Carly and the baby. A wheelchair was waiting right outside the door.

"Is this really necessary?" Carly said rolling her eyes as she looked back at Jack.

"Mandatory for all mommies," Jack grinned.

"He's right," the nurse stated coming over to help Carly into it. "It's hospital policy."

"Oh for heaven sakes," Carly sighed sitting down. "I'm perfectly capable of walking."

"Enjoy the ride sweetheart," Jack whispered in her ear as he grabbed hold of the handles and pushed her down the hall.

They made their way to the entrance to where a police car was waiting to take them to the airport.

"Really?" Carly questioned looking up at Jack.

"They offered to drive us and I certainly wasn't going to take a cab to the airport with the baby," Jack replied in a tone that left no room for argument. He took Michael from Carly so that she could get into the car.

Carly smiled remembering back to when Sage was a newborn and how protective Jack had been. "Some things never change," she teased patting his arm as she climbed out of the wheelchair and into the backseat.

The local police had brought a car seat with them for Michael and Jack and Carly buckled him in and they headed for the waiting plane.

Every so often Jack would pull out his phone only to return it to his pocket. After the forth time Carly finally spoke up.

"What's going on?"

"What?" he asked having no clue as to what she was talking about.

"You keep checking your phone. Who are you expecting a call from?"

"Oh… that. It's nothing."

"Obviously it's not _nothing_ or else you'd tell me what's got you worried. Is it Julia?"

"Margo said she'd call once they made it back to Oakdale and Julia was processed. I'm just anxious but it's nothing for you to worry about. Remember no stress," he said giving her a smile that was meant to reassure her but didn't.

"You're not keeping anything from me, are you?"

"No honey. I just want to put all this ugliness behind us," he said kissing her cheek.

"You and me both," she agreed.

_Meanwhile on the side of the road…_

As Agent McNamara stood there facing her, Julia took advantage of the element of surprise. In one swift motion she stood up bringing the heal of her hand directly to his nose and grabbed his gun as he clutched his face in pain. She turned his gun on him and quickly shot him twice in the chest. Officer Fitzpatrick was shocked and tried to pull his own weapon, but Julia was faster. She turned toward him and fired twice more and dropped him where he stood. She immediately put the gun in the pocket of her sweatshirt and quickly hurried around to Officer Fitzpatrick. She dragged him over to the car and put his body in the backseat. She was thankful that no other cars had driven by. She knew she had to act quickly because it was only a matter of time before Margo and the other officer noticed that the other car was no longer following them. She ran around and tried to pull Agent McNamara into the car but he was too heavy to do so. She cursed under her breath and got into the driver's seat. She started the car, backed it up and pointed the car toward the sharp drop off. With the car still running, she stepped out, put the car in drive and gave a push for good measure. The car careened off the road into the wooded ravine.

Breathing fast with the rush of adrenaline she smiled in satisfaction that everything had worked out so well. The smile faded as she heard the siren of the other police car getting louder. She glanced around quickly and seeing no other cars, ran off in the opposite direction into the woods and disappeared.

A short time later, Margo and Officer Hopkins drove around the sharp corner and they immediately saw the body.

"Right there!" she shouted and pointed with one hand toward the still body of Agent McNamara. She pulled over and they both jumped out of the car with their guns drawn. Margo ran over to McNamara and felt for a pulse. There wasn't one.

She shook her head at Hopkins as he waited for confirmation of the worst.

"Where's Fitzpatrick and the prisoner?" he asked her.

Margo looked in the direction of Springfield where Jack, Carly and the baby still were. She dreaded the call she was going to have to make. She looked down at the tire tracks in the gravel at the edge of the road and then out toward the drop off.

Hopkins followed the direction of her gaze and cautiously made his way over to the edge and peered down. The other police cruiser was far below. "Over here," he called out to Margo.

She hurried over and looked over the side.

"Do you think she's down there?" he asked her.

"No, but I think we can safely assume Officer Fitzpatrick is," she said grimly. "Call for backup. Tell them the suspect is Julia Lindsay and that she's armed and very dangerous."

"You got it, chief."

Margo closed her eyes and pulled out her phone and dialed.

_Elsewhere…_

Rosanna, Jack, Carly and the baby were all aboard the plane and were making their descent toward the Oakdale International.

Carly sat next to Jack with her hand on his thigh and watched him as he fawned over the baby. He couldn't keep his hands off him. She glanced over at Rosanna who was smiling at the sight as well.

"Are you going to come with us over to Lily's?" Carly asked her.

"I think I'll drop my stuff off at the Lakeview and then head over to Memorial."

Carly grinned mischievously.

"Don't start," Rosanna warned her.

"Who said anything?" Carly said feigning innocence.

"You don't have to say a word. I can see it all over your face," Rosanna blushed as she glanced over at Jack. She didn't want to get into a discussion about Daryl with Jack around.

"Don't mind him. He's focused on the baby and won't hear a thing," she assured her.

"Hear anything about who? Daryl?" Jack asked continuing to smile at his son.

"See!" Rosanna gestured toward him, completely embarrassed.

"Jack Snyder! Are you eavesdropping?" Carly scolded.

Jack turned to face his wife. "Honey… I'm sitting right here. Besides, I'm a cop. I hear everything."

"Well, you could have pretended not to be listening," she leveled at him.

"Next time… I promise," he smiled sweetly and pulled her closer so he could kiss her cheek.

Carly smiled as the familiar sensations tickled her skin. She turned her head and kissed him back. Rosanna discreetly looked the other way.

The pilot announced that they'd been cleared for landing. Carly and Jack broke away reluctantly with a promise to pick up where they left off later and began getting everything ready to leave the plane. About 20 minutes later the plane pulled to a stop. Jack helped Carly and Rosanna to the door and carried the baby down the stairs to waiting limo Rosanna had arranged.

"I'll have the driver drop me off first and then he can take you to Lily's" Rosanna explained.

"Thank you so much for arranging all of this," Jack told her.

"Yes, thank you," Carly agreed.

"It's the least I could do. You found my sister and my nephew and brought them back to us," she said to Jack.

They all climbed into the limo and made their way downtown to the Lakeview. The driver helped Rosanna with her luggage and Carly stepped out with her to say goodbye.

"Thank you for being here for us," she said hugging her tightly.

"I wouldn't have been anywhere else," she said tearfully. "I'm just so thankful that both you and the baby are alright."

"When Daryl is feeling up to it, you can bring him out to Emma's to see the baby and to visit with Jack," Carly suggested.

"That sounds wonderful," Rosanna said smiling through her tears. "You need to go. I know you want to see Parker, Sage and JJ."

"I do!" Carly said a smile of sheer excitement on her face. "It feels like forever since I last saw them."

"I love you," Rosanna said giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"Love you too," she said kissing her back before climbing back into the limo.

Carly was still smiling as she slid across the seat to where the baby sat in the car seat. She tucked the blanket more snuggly around him and looked over at Jack. She opened her mouth to speak but noticed the look on his face and the words got caught in her throat. His face was as white as a ghost and he looked like he was going to loose it. She looked more closely at him and saw the internal struggle that was waging war inside him.

Jack looked at his wife and wanted more than anything for them to head over to Lily's as planned and introduce the kids to their new brother. To spend the day with his family - laughing, talking… just being happy. But now his world had crashed in on him again.

"Jack?" Carly whispered.

He looked at her with sadness in his eyes.

"Honey… you're scaring me. What's happened? Is it one of the kids?"

"No. I'm sorry. No it's not one of the kids. I should have said that right away," he said quietly. He took a deep breath and tried to find the right words to try and explain this insanity.

"You can tell me, Jack. I can handle it."

"Margo called while we were in the air. I didn't get the message until just now," he began.

Carly sat still and waited. She knew where this was going. Dread filled every pore as she sat and calmly listened to every word.

Jack relayed all the information Margo had given him in the message including finding Agent McNamara and Officer Fitzpatrick dead at the scene. He'd moved over to sit next to her while he told her everything. When he was finished he waited for her to absorb everything. He didn't know how she was going to react.

Carly kept her eyes away from Jack. She knew that if she looked at him she would loose it. She fiddled with the hem of the baby blanket and tugged at a loose thread. So many emotions were swirling in her head. Fear was the most prevalent. Fear and panic. She could feel her body reacting. Feel her pulse quicken and she began breathing faster.

Jack's body reacted instantly to hers, sensing the fear. He pulled her close and hugged her tightly as if by doing so he could protect her from anything and anyone.

"It's going to be ok. I'm here with you. I won't let her near you or the baby or the kids… I promise you that," he said fiercely. He could feel her body trembling and it made his heart ache.

"Oh Jack," Carly began but then finally broke down and cried. She clung to him, desperate for him to make everything better.

"Shhhhh," he whispered softly.

After a few minutes Carly finally calmed down and pulled back slightly to look up at Jack. He gently cupped her face with a hand and wiped away the tears with his thumb. He smiled at her with a love so strong that just that one look made Carly actually believe that things would be ok. She gave him a small smile in return.

"That's my girl," he said softly before leaning in and kissing her tenderly on the lips. He broke the kiss reluctantly, letting his forehead linger against hers as the limo came to a stop. Jack glanced out the window and he realized that they arrived at Lily's.

"Let's try and keep this from the kids for now," he said looking into her blue eyes.

"Yes," she agreed shaking her head as she grabbed his hand and gave it a squeeze.

"You ready?" he asked. He could feel her still shaking slightly as he held her hand.

She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly trying to calm herself down. When she opened her eyes she saw the front door of Lily's house open and bodies came running. "Whether or not I am no longer matters. We've got company," she said as she gestured towards the window behind him.

He peered around and saw the kids. He turned back to her and mouthed an "I love you" before stepping out of the car into the waiting arms of Parker, JJ and Sage.

"Hey guys," he smiled at them as he gave them one big group hug. "Why don't you step back a bit and let your mom get out. I'll get the baby."

Carly crawled out of the back of the limo and all the bad thoughts that had filled her head not a few moments before were gone as soon as she saw her three oldest children grinning from ear to ear waiting for her.

"Mom!" they all said in unison as they rushed forward to hug her.

Sage got to her first and held on for dear life. She'd been so afraid when she'd first heard that her mom was missing. However, she knew that if anyone would be able to find her and bring her home it would be her dad.

"I'm so glad you're home. I've missed you so much," Sage said her voice shaking slightly.

Carly hugged her daughter tightly and kissed her head. She could smell her shampoo. It was something so simple and yet it brought out all these emotions and it was enough to start Carly crying she was so happy to finally be home. There had been a moment or two when she thought she might never see her kids again.

"I've missed you too," she cried happily as she looked up into the faces of Parker and JJ. She reached out for them and pulled them closer. Sage moved off to the side to allow her brothers' access to their mother.

"I'm so glad your home, honey!" she told JJ as she kissed his cheek. "I'm so sorry I wasn't here."

"It's ok mom. You're here now… that's all that matters," he said hugging her.

"Well, I promise that once everything settles down we'll have a real celebration," she smiled at him as she tousled his hair.

"Sounds good," he grinned back at her.

"And how's my big guy?" she said turning to Parker.

"Better now that you're home," he said softly.

"Oh Parker," Carly choked out as she grabbed hold of him and hugged him. "I'm so sorry I put you through this," she said sincerely. "All of you through this," she added stepping back from Parker and wiping the tears off her face.

"Mom, you didn't do anything," JJ said defending her.

"That's right. It's not your fault," Sage added.

"Well I'm glad you all feel that way," Carly said giving them a smile. "But I should have gone with Aunt Rosanna."

"No one blames you for anything mom," Parker told her sincerely.

"He's right honey," Jack said from the other side of the limo.

He'd watched in silence the reunion between Carly and the kids. Seeing the strong bond and the love Carly shared with each of them warmed his heart. She was a wonderful mother. Proof of that stood right before him in the forms of Parker, JJ and Sage. Thinking for a moment that this bond had nearly been destroyed by the machinations of a mad woman infuriated him. However, right now was not the time to get distracted. He needed to keep his emotions in check while they were with the kids. They didn't need to know about any further threat to their family. At least not yet.

"Are you ready to meet the newest addition to the Snyder clan?" he asked the kids.

"Yes," was the unanimous answer.

Jack walked around to the other side with the baby in his arms. "Meet Michael Robert," he said grinning as the baby yawned in response to having been woken up as he was removed from the car seat.

"Ohhhhh!" Sage cooed. "He's so cute," she said reaching out to touch his tiny hand. "Can I hold him?" she said looking imploringly up at the father.

Jack laughed. "Of course you can. Let's get him inside first."

JJ and Parker walked with Carly up the walkway to the house as Sage was right on the heels of Jack and baby Michael. Lily stood at the doorway waiting to greet them.

"Welcome home!" she said happily as she stepped forward to hug Carly. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm good. A little tired after the flight, but good."

"Oh Carly," Lily gasped as she saw the baby. "He's just precious. And he looks so much like Jack!" she exclaimed.

Carly laughed. "I know, right?"

"What can I say… he's a good-looking kid," Jack said flashing them a grin.

"Oh brother," Carly said rolling her eyes as she followed Lily over to the sofa and sat down. Jack, the baby and Sage sat down on the other sofa across from them. Sage immediately held out her arms to hold her baby brother. She'd been waiting for what seemed like forever to get to hold him. Jack smiled at her enthusiasm and gently placed the sleepy baby in her arms. Michael was still waking up and not quite alert yet. Carly and Lily smiled as they watched Sage fall in love with her little brother.

"I should grab my camera," Lily said jumping up to go and get it. "Can I get you something to drink Carly? Did you want some tea maybe?"

"That sounds wonderful."

"I'll help you," Jack called following after Lily. He followed her into the kitchen when Lily stopped short and spun around to face him.

"What's going on?" she questioned him.

"Is it that obvious?"

"Well, normally I could handle getting a cup of tea by myself. Since you offered to help, I figured there must be a reason," she leveled at him.

"Has anyone told you you'd make a good cop?" Jack said giving her a weak smile.

"Don't change the subject, Jack."

Jack ran a hand through his hair and let out a deep breath.

"Wow, it must be pretty bad," she said sympathetically.

"You have no idea," Jack said shaking his head.


	48. Chapter 48

**Chapter Forty-eight**

Lily stood quiet for a few moments while she processed everything Jack had just told her. It was hard to believe that at one point Julia had been someone she once enjoyed spending time with. A woman she'd willingly invited into her home, let hold her children. For crying out loud, she'd helped deliver Faith. She shuddered to think about it.

"My God Jack, you must be going out of your mind," Lily said as she held up both the tea and the coffee pots as a way of asking him if he wanted any.

"Coffee please," he said before continuing. "Yeah, that's about where I'm at right now. You should've seen her Lily. When they put her in the police car… the look she gave me… it scared me. She has no conscience. She'll do absolutely anything to make me suffer and she knows the best way to do that is with Carly."

"Jack," Lily said rubbing him on the arm. "What are you going to do?"

"Anything I have to in order to stop her once and for all. I just have to make sure Carly and the kids are safe first."

"What can I do?" Lily asked handing him a cup of coffee.

"You've already done so much. I hate to ask you for more," Jack said feeling guilty.

"Stop it, Jack. We're family. You know I'll do anything I can."

"I know," he said with a sigh. He hated asking, but his family's safety was more important than that stubborn Snyder pride. "You know that Carly, the kids and I were going to stay out at the farm with Emma," he began.

"But you don't think its safe enough," Lily finished for him.

"Basically, yes."

"Say no more. You're more than welcome to all stay here," she offered knowing that this is what he'd wanted but felt awful for asking.

"But I don't want to endanger you and your kids," Jack explained.

"You won't. I trust you Jack. I know you'll keep us all safe," she smiled.

"I'd try to," he said sounding unsure. He certainly hadn't done a great job of that so far. At least as far as Carly was concerned.

"I'll tell you what. The kids and I will go stay at my mother's. She'll love it and the kids will be spoiled daily, so they'll love it too," she laughed.

"I don't want to push you out of your own home," he said apologetically. Though to be honest, that would make him feel better about the situation.

"Don't worry about it. Like I said mother will be thrilled. I on the other hand may come crawling back on my hands and knees begging to come back after only a few days," she said half seriously.

"You could always stay at the farm instead," he said quickly before taking a sip of coffee.

"Well that came out of nowhere."

"I'm just saying…"

"I know exactly what you're saying and you should just quit while you're ahead," she retorted cutting him off.

"Look, we're family just like you said. I just want both of you to be happy."

"Don't I look happy?" she asked.

"To be honest, no."

"Holden and I aren't like you and Carly. We've both done a lot of damage to our relationship. I'm not sure we can get past it all."

"And you don't think Carly and I didn't?" he asked looking incredulously at her. "Lily, come on. You had a front row seat for most of it. You saw the damage and the wake of destruction it left behind. Carly and I both said and did things to try and hurt each other. However at the end of everyday, no matter what had happened, no matter what had been said or who either of us was with… I never stopped loving her. I'd deny it to anyone who would listen, but when I'd lay down each night my last thoughts would be of her. And when I'd wake each day, she was the first one I would think about."

Lily stood there listening to the heartfelt words coming from Jack and noticed someone come into the kitchen behind him. Her eye movement was enough to alert Jack that they were no longer alone. He turned to see the face of his beautiful wife smiling up at him with tears in her eyes.

"Jack," she whispered. There was so much she wanted to say, but she couldn't find the words. She just stood there. She didn't even know if she was breathing. All she saw was him. Nothing else existed. The surprised look on his face was replaced with a smile. Her heart beat faster and her pulsed raced as her body reacted by just being close to his and the knowledge that he was hers and hers alone.

He raised an eyebrow and grinned as he sensed her body's reaction. He walked over to her with purpose in his stride and pulled her into his arms. She clung to him feeling his heart beat against her own. Two hearts always in sync. "It's true you know," he whispered low in her ear so only she could hear him.

She gave him a squeeze, resting her head against his chest. "It was the same for me. It's been you since the first moment we met… only you."

A tiny cry from the other room broke the moment. It was closely followed by an unsure "Mom?" coming from Sage.

"And so it begins," Jack chuckled. It was a low, warm sound that came from deep inside. Carly lingered a moment savoring the sound before pulling away. She looked up and gave him a radiant smile.

"Coming sweetheart," she answered heading back into the living room.

Jack watched her disappear around the corner before turning his attention back to his coffee and Lily.

"I'm so happy for you guys," Lily said sincerely. "That you were able to stay friends through everything and that you never gave up on each other."

"You and Holden are still friends," Jack said taking another sip.

"We are… now. It took us awhile to get there, though. We'll always have that bond but I don't know if we'll ever get to that point again. Do I miss him? Sure. A part of me wishes we had that back. But another part of me was tired of having to always work so hard. We're both in a good place now and I'm happy with that. Has Holden said something to you?"

"No. I just suppose it's me being so happy and thankful to be back with Carly after all is said and done. I guess I just want everyone to be as happy as we are."

"I appreciate it Jack, I do. I know that you mean well."

"Alright, I get it. I won't push," Jack told her.

"Thank you," Lily smiled. "Now back to you and your situation. I'll have the kids pack their stuff and I'll take them over tonight. I'll stay here with you guys so I can make sure you have everything and then I'll head over there tomorrow," she said taking charge.

"You have no idea how much I appreciate all this. All of it. You've helped us out so much."

"Consider it repayment after all the times you've helped us out over the years. I'm just glad that I can help. I know what it's like to have people from your past wreaking havoc on you and your life," she said with a sheepish grin.

"Yeah, I guess you do," Jack laughed with her. "So now that that is taken care of, I need to call Margo and find out where we're at."

"I'll go bring Carly her tea," Lily said giving Jack some privacy.

"Thanks Lily," he said as he prepared himself for the latest on the Julia situation. He dialed Margo's number and waited for her to answer.

"Hughes. Talk to me," she answered.

"Margo, its Jack."

"Oh. Hey Jack," she said with a sigh. She wasn't prepared to talk to Jack yet. She'd wanted to have more information, something of value to report.

"What can you tell me?" he asked.

"Well, we have our guys, the Springfield police and, of course, the FBI all out here combing the area for anything. So far, there's been no trace of her. She wasn't in the vehicle they pulled up out of the ravine. There's also a K-9 unit out here. They picked up a scent and followed it for a while, but the trail went cold. We're pretty sure she took off on foot from here and most likely caught a ride with some unsuspecting driver." "Yeah, I'm sure Julia played the victim very convincingly," Jack said sarcastically. "She probably told them some sob story about how horrible her life is and they fell all over themselves trying to help her," he said disgustingly.

"Do you think she'd hurt them?" Margo asked worried.

"Normally I would say no. Julia's concern is in making Carly and I pay for hurting her. I don't think she'd hurt some total stranger. However, at this point I think if pushed enough or if she felt threatened she'd do just about anything."

"The FBI has also set up road blocks near the airports, train stations and major bus terminals. However, there is a lot of rural land out here. She could hide from us fairly easily. But don't worry Jack, we'll find her." Margo said trying to reassure him and to make herself feel better. She felt horrid about what had happened. Two men had been killed needlessly. She should have been in the car with Julia. She should have taken charge and handled things herself. She should have listened to Jack and taken his advice. She'd have to live with the guilt of this. Now, Julia was out there again on the loose and a very real threat to Jack and his family.

"I'm going to get Carly and the kids settled here tonight and then I'll meet up with you tomorrow."

"No Jack. You stay there with your family. They need you. There are plenty of people on this here. Let us handle it," Margo told him.

"I appreciate that, but I'm not just going to sit here and wait for Julia to make her next move. I'm going to find her and finish this," he said raising his voice.

"Jack," Margo began but he cut her off.

"Look no offense Margo, but things didn't work out well when I let other people _handle it_. Julia wants me… she wants to make me suffer. If I put myself out there I can keep her away from Carly and the kids."

"I certainly hope you're not thinking of using yourself as bait, Jack."

"I'm going to do whatever it takes Margo."

"As your superior, I'm not going along with that," she said feeling the need to pull rank.

"I don't think it's really your call to make. The FBI is involved. She's killed a Federal Agent as well as another officer. They're in charge now… we'll leave it up to them. However, you'd better be damn sure that I'm going to be involved in whatever they decide to do."

"So that's it then," she said curtly.

"I'm sorry if you're upset by this, but this is my family Margo. What do you expect me to do? Just stand around and do nothing? Would you do that if it was your family in danger? You know you wouldn't, so don't ask me to."

"Fine Jack. I see your point. You shouldn't be expected to sit around and do nothing. But you shouldn't paint a bulls-eye on your chest either."

"I don't want anyone else to get hurt because of me. I should have dealt with Julia properly a long, long time ago when I first found out what she was capable of when she killed the horse. Or even before that when I learned that she had told Winston Lowe about Carly. This whole thing could have been avoided if I hadn't allowed my guilt at using her to cloud my judgment."

"And what's the difference between then and what you're doing now? You're feeling guilty about how you handled things and so now you're putting yourself out there to try and fix things. You are not responsible for her," Margo said raising her voice.

"I know that Margo, but two good men died because of all this. Another one nearly died. Carly, my son… all of these people are casualties of…"

"… of Julia. They were victims of her and her alone, Jack. You think I don't feel guilty for what happened today? I was in charge and I blew it. I allowed two men to die under my watch and I'll have to live with that. But Jack, Officer Fitzpatrick and Agent McNamara both knew what they were getting into when they chose this profession. They knew the risks," she said gently. She knew exactly how Jack was feeling for she was feeling it to, but she also knew that they weren't the ones responsible for it. Julia was and she would be the one to pay the consequences.

Jack closed his eyes and let out a big sigh. He heard everything that Margo was saying and he knew that she was right. He wasn't responsible for what had happened but he couldn't let go of the guilt that easily. If anything, he hadn't protected Carly and she had nearly died. He would not allow that to happen again.

"You're right Margo," he said. "I won't do anything crazy. But understand that I will be involved in bringing her down. I won't stay here and do nothing," he said adamantly.

"Understood. Call me in the morning and let me know when you want to meet," she said.

"Will do… and thanks Margo," he said hanging up the phone. He ran a hand through his hair and then poured himself another cup of coffee. He turned around to head into the living room and was surprised to see Carly standing behind him again. He smiled at her but his smile quickly faded when she didn't return it.

"What's wrong?" he asked concerned. "Are you feeling alright? Is it Michael?"

"What are you thinking?" she asked him. She stood there with her arms folded, her body tense and rigid.

Jack was thoroughly confused. "What are you talking about?"

"You're leaving… to go after her?"

Obviously Carly had overheard part of his conversation with Margo. He hadn't had a chance to tell her that he would be leaving to help with the search and capture of Julia. "Honey, you know I have to go," he said gently.

"No, I don't know that. I need you here with me and the kids," she said, her voice rising.

"I have to find her so she won't hurt you again, Carly. You have to understand that. I'm trying to protect you."

"Then stay here and protect me."

"Carly,"

"I'm serious Jack. I don't want you confronting her," she said as she tried fighting the tears. They came anyway.

"Baby, you don't have to worry about me. I'll be fine. I'll find her and then this whole ugly mess will all be over with," he said softly walking over to her and wrapping his arms around her.

She allowed his arms to surround her as she placed her hands on his chest and buried her face. She needed him, needed his strength and love. But the thought of Julia and what she was capable of made her angry and she pushed Jack away.

"You'll be fine?" she started. "I'm sure that's exactly what Officer Fitzpatrick thought this morning too. And Agent McNamara. Maybe we should ask Daryl if he thought he would be fine the night he was attacked and nearly died," she threw back. She could tell she was becoming hysterical but she didn't care. She wasn't about to let her husband walk out that door with the very real possibility of never seeing him again.

"Carly calm down," Jack said trying to hold onto her but she brushed him away and began pacing around the kitchen.

"Don't you dare tell me to calm down Jack Snyder. You are not leaving to go after that woman and that is final!" Carly stalked out the kitchen leaving Jack alone to try and find some way to convince his wife that he had to do this.

_Meanwhile in a very remote farmhouse…_

Julia sat at the kitchen table while the elderly couple fussed over her.

She had been walking along the dirt road for nearly two hours before a single car had come past. She had been cautious but saw that it was an old pickup truck and didn't feel the need to hide. The couple in the truck had been surprised to see someone walking along the road for their closest neighbor was miles away. They'd slowed down to see if they recognized the person and that was how they'd come to pick Julia up in their truck and take her home. During the drive, she had informed them that she was running from her husband. He'd become angry and abusive and she needed to get away from him before he hurt her any further. The childless couple felt sympathy for the poor, ragged creature and decided to bring her to their home for a good night's rest and a meal. Julia happily went along with them enjoying the attention.

So here she sat at their table. She greedily ate the food in front of her, not having had a home-cooked meal in quite some time. She was immediately reminded of meals out at Emma's farm with Jack, Lily, Holden and of course Emma herself. She had thought life couldn't get any better than that. And she had been right. Life had been perfect then… exactly what she had always wanted. Now it was anything but. She was once again on the run from the police and once again Carly and Jack had escaped her wrath. She took a bite of the chicken from her plate and chewed slowly as she thought.

All she'd ever wanted was a happy ending with jack. A family with him, an occasional dinner out at the farm, holidays with everyone all together. She knew at this point that was no longer an option. That ended the moment he shot her. She swallowed the bite of chicken and took a drink of milk. Since her chance at happily ever after with Jack was gone, there was no way in hell she would allow him to have his own happy ending with Carly.

"How are you feeling, my dear?" asked the elderly woman. "Did you get enough to eat?"

"I'm feeling much better. Thank you," said Julia sweetly as she wiped her mouth with her napkin.

"Well I hope you saved room for dessert," her husband said as he got up from the table and carried his plate to the sink. "Gracie here makes the best peach cobbler in the county. Why she's even won some blue ribbons to prove it," he said proudly.

"Sounds delicious," Julia smiled.

"Oh Frank, no need to carry on like that. He's just loves to brag about it to anyone who will listen. He's too good to me," Gracie said with a smile as she got up from the table and dished up three portions of cobbler.

"You're very luck to have someone who obviously loves you so much," Julia said very seriously.

Gracie and her husband looked at their house guest and immediately felt the change in her demeanor. The older woman cleared her throat at the uncomfortable silence that followed and finished getting the cobbler. She handed Julia a bowl and sat down across from her.

Julia took a bite and smiled at her hostess. "It's delicious," she said before taking another bite.

"Are you sure you don't have any family you would like me to call for you?" Gracie offered.

"No. There's no one."

"Well just put all that bad stuff behind you and make a new life for yourself. You're young still," Frank told her.

"That's right. Obviously this husband of yours was a fool. Took you for granted and didn't appreciate you. But don't you worry, your safe here," Gracie said with a smile.

"What goes around comes around, I always say," said Frank matter-of-factly.

Gracie nodded her head and took a bite of cobbler.

Julia just smiled.


	49. Chapter 49

**Chapter Forty-nine**

Lily had finished helping Ethan and Natalie pack up their stuff to bring over to Lucinda's. Jack was helping her and the kids out to the car.

"There's plenty of food in the house so help yourselves. I'll probably stay over at my mother's for a little while, but on the way back I'll stop at the Lakeview and pick you up some dinner," she told him as the kids climbed into the car.

"You don't have to do that Lily," Jack told her as he put the suitcases in the trunk.

"I know that but I want to. The last thing you guys are going to want to do is make dinner. I'm sure you're both exhausted."

Jack took a deep breath, "Yeah, it's been a long couple of days that's for sure. I could probably sleep for a week," he laughed.

Lily gave him a weak smile. "I hope I'm not overstepping…" she started.

Jack immediately knew this wasn't going to be pleasant and he braced himself for what was coming.

"… but I happened to overhear a bit of your conversation with Carly earlier," she said gently.

"And…"

"And… I think Carly's right," she finished.

"Lily-"

"I know, I know this is none of my business but I think you need to understand where Carly's coming from. She just had a baby, Jack. She's going to have enough to deal with without having to worry about you and whether or not you're going to come home."

"Julia is out there… again. I can't just sit back and let her plot and plan to come here and go after Carly again. I won't risk her safety or her life. I can't loose her," he said fiercely.

"And Carly doesn't want to loose you either. You both want to protect each other. I think you guys need to talk about it. _Really_ talk about it and then come to a decision together."

Jack just stood there, absorbing everything Lily had just said. He knew she was right. They both needed to sit down and talk things through. Everything. Not just what is happening right now but everything that happened leading up to this point.

"Alright. You're right, we do need to talk."

"Good. Now, you'll also need some baby stuff. I still have Ethan's crib in storage along with a baby swing and a few other items. Why don't you go in search of those while I'm gone. The boxes should be labeled. I'll stop and pick up some baby bedding on the way home too."

"I don't know what we'd do without you," he said giving her a kiss on the cheek.

She grinned. "I'll see you in a bit," she said as she got into the car. She watched Jack walk back into the house before she pulled her cell phone out of her purse.

_Meanwhile over at Memorial Hospital…_

Rosanna sat in the chair next to Daryl's hospital bed. She was waiting for him to get back from his physical therapy session. Rosanna was thrilled by his improvement since the last time she'd seen him. He looked so much better and the doctors were pleased by his progress. So much so, they said he'd be cleared to go home tomorrow. That statement troubled Rosanna however. Daryl's home wasn't here in Oakdale at the Lakeview. It was back in Washington D.C. Now that Julia had been captured, there wasn't any reason for him to stay in town. He'd finish his recovery back home… his real home.

With that thought in her head she stared out the window trying to come to terms with having to now say goodbye. Why was it so hard? She'd known going into this, whatever _this_ was, that he wouldn't be sticking around. She'd never considered the fact that she might actually develop feelings for him. She'd only known him for a few short weeks. The thought that she had now become attached to him was absurd, wasn't it? She sat there trying to rationalize it all and didn't even notice when the door opened.

"Rosanna? Is everything alright?" Daryl asked concerned by the look on her face.

She turned to face him and the frown transformed into a radiant smile. "Everything's fine," she assured him.

With how quickly she'd changed, Daryl wasn't so sure. The nurse waited until he was in bed again before leaving and leaving them alone to speak privately.

"Now…," he said as scooted himself up to look directly at her, "tell me what's really bothering you."

Rosanna's eyes looked intently into his. There was so much she wanted to say but was afraid to. What if she was reading too much into what happened between them. But hadn't he also at one point asked her if they were more than friends? A conflict of emotions warred within her as she opened her mouth to speak but then opted to close it instead.

"Something must be really bothering you," he said seriously.

She took a deep breath and began. "I was just thinking… about you and me."

He smiled immediately but then a frown appeared. "Wait. Then why do you look so upset?" he asked.

"I guess I'm just trying to come to grips with what happens next."

"What happens next?" he asked thoroughly confused.

"Saying goodbye…" she trailed off lowering her head.

Daryl was stunned. That was the last thing he thought she was going to say. Goodbye? He certainly wasn't thinking of goodbyes when she showed up today. He had been worried about her and had missed her over the last couple of days. He'd done everything he could to ensure that he was physically ready to be released from the hospital by the time she got back. When she'd showed up all he could think about was finally getting to spend some alone time with her and now she was talking about goodbyes! What had happened? Was she more seriously involved with that Craig Montgomery guy than she'd claimed?

He'd been quiet for quite a while. Rosanna tilted her head to peek at him. He had his head down and his eyes were firmly fixated on his hands which were clenched into fists. She lifted her head fully and tossed her hair back from her face. He looked up at her as she did so. Their eyes locked and a million things passed between them.

Daryl normally would have gone ahead with saying goodbye as politely as possible. However this recent experience and having nearly lost his life changed him. He didn't want to just sit back and let life play out. He was going to actually do something about it. If she wanted to say goodbye… fine. He'd say goodbye, but it would be in his own way.

Rosanna didn't know what hit her. One second she was staring at Daryl with eyes wide open and in the next he'd reached a hand around her neck and swiftly pulled her close as his mouth descended upon hers. She was momentarily stunned but then she recovered as her eyes closed and she kissed him back. Her mouth parted and ever so slowly their tongues intertwined.

An abrupt knock at the door interrupted them and they pulled apart quickly. Rosanna didn't recognize the man who entered but she could tell he was definitely a colleague of Daryl's. He had on a nice suit and had this no-nonsense vibe about him.

"Roger?" Daryl said surprised. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"I'm here to replace McNamara and get you up to speed on where we're at," he said seriously glancing over at Rosanna.

"I'm sorry," Daryl stumbled. "Rosanna Cabot this is Agent Roger Willis. This is Rosanna Cabot. She's Jack Snyder's sister-in-law. What did you mean when you said replacing McNamara?"

"Nice to meet you," he said to Rosanna completely ignoring Daryl's last question.

"Same here," she said politely. "I'll leave you two alone," she said looking at Daryl. He looked as if he was going to object but clearly something important was going on. So she added, "I'll come back later," she said with a smile as she collected her things and left.

_Back at Lily's…_

Jack made his way back into the house to check on Carly before going off in search of the baby items in storage. He walked into the living room to find it deserted. He checked the kitchen… again empty. Even though he knew better, a feeling of panic began to grip him. He headed upstairs in the hopes of finding his wife. He walked down the hall to the bedroom they'd be sharing. The door was partially closed. He pushed it open and the panic disappeared. Lying down on the large king bed was Carly with Michael right beside her. Both were sound asleep. He walked over as quietly as possible so as not to disturb them. Carly was lying on her side with an arm protectively around the tiny baby. Jack noted that this was exactly how he slept when lying next to her. Always an arm wrapped around her, holding her close. He studied her face. She was sleeping peacefully. No worries, no stress, no danger waiting just around the corner. This is what he wanted for her, for all of them. With Julia lurking in the shadows, however, that was not a possibility. He grabbed the blanket at the foot of the bed and covered Carly with it. She stirred slightly pulling Michael closer. Jack smiled at her natural instincts. He leaned over and rubbed his cheek gently against her own before giving her a kiss. Her head tilted back slightly causing her hair to fall back and exposing the slender column of her neck. Jack's own natural instincts kicked in and the desire to kiss the newly exposed skin nearly overpowered him. He resisted his body's urges knowing that she needed her rest.

Jack made his way back out of the room and headed to the other end of the house toward the storage room. He stopped by the family room to check on the kids.

"Hey guys," he called to Parker and JJ.

"Go around to the other entrance," Parker said.

"Alright give me a minute to get into position," JJ replied.

"Uh boys…" Jack said again.

"Alright go in now!" Parker shouted.

"Did you see me take that guy out?" JJ said laughing.

Jack had had enough waiting for them to acknowledge him so he stepped in front of the TV effectively blocking the video game from view.

"Dad!" they both shouted in unison.

"Thanks for giving me your attention," Jack said sarcastically.

"Sorry," they again spoke in unison.

"I might need some help in getting some stuff out of storage for the baby," he told them.

"Ok," Parker said.

"Right now?" JJ asked.

"In a little bit. You guys can finish your game and then come find me, alright?"

"Sure."

"Thanks. Oh and by the way, where's your sister?" Jack asked.

"She's either on the phone with Jenny or on the computer," Parker offered.

"Alright," Jack said heading out of the room.

Jack found the storage room and was immediately not thrilled with the task in front of him. The storage room was full. And while Lily said the baby items should be labeled, it would still take a bit of time sorting through everything. He had been going at for about 20 minutes when he heard a voice calling out his name.

"Jack?"

Jack stood up and peered around the stack of boxes at the smiling face of his cousin.

"Holden! Boy am I glad to see you," he said happily as he made his way out of the maze of boxes and furniture toward his cousin.

"Yeah I bet you are," Holden laughed as he hugged Jack. "Lily called and told me what you were attempting to do. I figured I could at least come over and help you sort through all this stuff," he said indicating the items all about the room.

"There's no organization to this at all, Holden. What the hell were you thinking?" Jack said giving him a hard time.

"It's organized… just not very well," he said sheepishly. "So how are Carly and the baby?"

"Great," Jack said enthusiastically. "Especially considering everything they went through. They're both upstairs resting."

"I figured since it was quiet when I came in. Mama came with me. She's in the kitchen, though she's itching to hold that baby," Holden laughed.

"I'm sure she is," Jack joined in. "Here," he said handing Holden a box. "Help me go through this and then I'll go get the baby."

Roughly an hour later, Jack and Holden had reassembled Ethan's old crib and located the baby swing. Jack's stomach growled as he smelled the delicious aroma of Emma's cooking.

"There. I think that does it. I'd forgotten how long it takes to put baby stuff together," Holden said shaking his head.

"Yeah, it looks pretty good though," Jack said standing back and admiring their work. "Now I think we should eat. Whatever Emma's cooking smells wonderful."

They walked into the kitchen to find it full. Parker, JJ, Sage and Faith were all at the counter eating and laughing. Carly was sitting at the table with a plate of food next to Emma who was fussing all over the baby. Jack smiled at the scene and for a moment forgot the outside world and just enjoyed being happy with his family. Jack walked over and kissed Carly on the head and then turned to Emma.

"Well there you both are," she said kindly.

"Who do you have there?" Jack asked leaning over her shoulder to look at Michael. He reached around her and grabbed hold of his tiny hand. Michael was looking back at Emma with total fascination.

"I'm holding just the most sweetest baby in the whole wide world," she said in that sing-song baby voice.

"Hey!" Holden said with mock indignity.

"Well, one of the most sweetest," she laughed giving Holden a wink. "He's just precious Jack." She looked over at Carly and patted her on the hand, "You did good," she grinned.

"Yes she did," Jack agreed looking over at Carly proudly.

"Thanks," she smiled.

"Everything smells delicious," Jack said giving Emma a kiss on the cheek before turning around and dishing himself a plate. He looked over at Parker and JJ. "Thanks for all your help today," he said raising an eyebrow at them.

"Sorry," they said looking guilty.

"Don't scold them," Emma called over her shoulder. "They did help me get things set up in here."

"Ok, well I guess you're off the hook then," Jack told them. "After you both are done, you can carry the crib up to our bedroom for me," he grinned.

Jack finished getting a plate of food and took a seat next to Carly at the table. She seemed to be in a much better mood. Perhaps she had been overtired and just needed a little rest. He moved his hand under the table and slid it from her knee to mid-thigh where he gave her a little squeeze. He heard her inhale a breath as she turned toward him. A sly grin appeared on her face as she leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. Unable to help himself, he focused on her mouth as she pulled away. Now it was his turn to lean in towards her. He lightly brushed his lips against hers, savoring the feel, the smell, the taste of her. She broke the kiss off and giggled softly shaking her head. He smiled wickedly back at her.

"That's enough you two," Holden teased sitting down at the table across from them. "There are children present."

Lily showed up a short while later. At first Jack felt horrid because she had planned on bringing dinner back, but thankfully Emma had called her and told her not to worry about it. Carly, Lily, and Emma took Michael upstairs to the room to put the bedding on the crib, while Jack and Holden cleaned up the kitchen.

"So what's going on with Julia?" Holden asked. "Lily told me some of it over the phone."

"It's such a mess, Holden. I don't even know where to begin."

"Do you think she's still bent on revenge?"

"There's not a doubt in my mind. She's escaped again. Only this time, she's killed at least two people to do so. At this point she's more dangerous than ever before."

"What are you going to do?"

"I have to stop her," Jack said with a sigh.

"But…"

"But, Carly doesn't want me involved in anyway."

"I see," Holden said thinking for a moment. So how are you going to convince Carly?"

"I have absolutely no idea," Jack said with the hint of defeat in his voice.

Upstairs, Carly sat on the bed nursing Michael while Lily and Emma finished getting the crib ready.

"Thank you both so much for doing that," Carly said smiling. "I appreciate all the help."

"No need to thank us. We're happy to do it," Lily said taking a seat on the bed next to her.

"Yes my dear. Anything you need… just let us know. Mommies need their rest and all the help they can get," Emma said sitting down.

"Have you had a chance to talk with Jack?" Lily asked.

"No," Carly said quietly. "I could tell by the way he was acting in the kitchen that he hoped I'd given up trying to persuade him otherwise."

"What's this about?" Emma asked not knowing all the details.

Carly didn't know what to say to Emma's query. She knew that there was a time when she'd preferred Julia over Carly. Lily recognized Carly's inner struggle and stepped in.

"Julia's escaped again. Only this time, she's resorted to killing. Jack wants to be involved in finding her," Lily explained.

"And Carly doesn't want him to go," Emma finished. "I can't say as I blame you. I don't want him to go either. I'll worry about him the entire time. But you have to remember that Jack is a cop and those instincts are very powerful. He wants to protect you and your family. That's his main concern."

"I know that. And normally I wouldn't have as much of an issue with it. But… this is Julia. She's hurt Jack before. She nearly killed him when she tried to blow up the house. She's capable of absolutely anything. I thought I'd lost Jack for good a long time ago. It nearly killed me. I can't go through that again."

"So… what are you going to do ?" Lily asked.

Carly looked down into the face of Michael sleeping soundly in her arms. She watched him as he smiled, wondering what he could be dreaming about. He had the same little dimple in one cheek, just like Jack. She leaned over and kissed his forehead still marveling at how very much he looked like Jack. If she lost Jack, she didn't know how she'd survive.

"I'm not sure," she said in answer to Lily's question.

_Meanwhile at a remote farm house…_

It was dark as Julia made her way back into the house from the barn. She walked into the kitchen and turned the faucet on. She ran the blade under the water and watched as the red liquid circle the drain. She shut the water off and dried the knife before placing it back into the drawer. Then she took the baking dish with the peach cobbler and sat down at the table… alone.


	50. Chapter 50

**Chapter Fifty**

Rosanna had busied herself with making phone calls while Daryl spoke with Agent Willis. Her thoughts would drift, however, and would keep replaying that kiss over and over again making it very difficult to conduct any business over the phone. She finally succeeded and was able to devote all her energy and trying to decipher what it all meant.

Was he hoping for some sort of long distant relationship? Rosanna thought about it and didn't know if she would want that. She tried those before with very little success. Was he hoping that perhaps she'd consider moving to Washington to be closer to him? If so, he would be disappointed. Rosanna purposely moved back to Oakdale in order to be closer to her sister and her family. She wanted a family of her own and hopefully, one day she'd have that. If she were being honest with herself, a part of her had considered getting involved with Craig again for that very reason. She'd nearly married him again not much more than a year ago. Would she have been settling? Again, if she was being honest, she would have to answer yes to that.

After about a half-hour, Agent Willis left the room without so much as a wayward glance in her direction. Something was wrong and she hoped that Daryl would let her know what it was. She collected her purse and knocked softly before entering.

"Come in," she heard Daryl say as she opened the door.

"Is this a bad time? I could come back if you need me to," she said hesitantly.

"No. Please stay," he smiled. "I was hoping you'd still be here."

She smiled back. "Is everything ok?" She studied him and could tell by his reaction he was trying to decide on how best to answer that. She sat down in the chair next to his bed.

"Actually no. Apparently Julia Lindsay has escaped." Daryl decided to be honest and upfront with her.

"Oh my God! Do Jack and Carly know?" she asked shocked.

He nodded his head. "Yeah, Jack knows. I'm sure he's going out of his mind. He just got Carly and the baby home safely," he said worried about his friend.

"How did this happen?" she asked.

"She somehow got out of her handcuffs and escaped on foot," he paused before continuing. "She killed Officer Fitzpatrick and Agent McNamara."

"What?" Rosanna exclaimed standing up and walking over to the other side of the room. "Does anyone know where she is? Has she been found?"

"No. They haven't been able to locate her yet. But they will," he added to try and reassure her.

"She nearly killed Carly. And she nearly killed you," Rosanna whispered, staring off to the other side of the room.

"She won't get that close again. I promise you," Daryl told her.

"How can you be so sure? Obviously she's capable of anything. That woman is insane!" she said looking at Daryl with fear in her eyes.

"I won't let her," Daryl said with conviction.

"What are you going to do? You're still recovering in the hospital."

"No. As of tonight, I'm being released."

_At Lily's…_

Jack made his way around Lily's house securing every door and every window. Just before doing all that, he'd stepped outside and spoke with the two officers sitting in the unmarked police cruiser. According to their report everything had been quiet all day long, just as it had the entire time the kids had been at Lily's.

Jack now headed upstairs and down the hall to the bedroom he, Carly and the baby were sharing. He opened the door to the room and quietly stepped in. He had been hoping to get a chance to talk to Carly but the only light in the room was coming from the adjoining bathroom, whose door was slightly ajar. Jack tiptoed over to the crib to check on Michael. He was sleeping peacefully. Unable to resist, Jack bent over and gave him a little kiss on his head. Michael stirred only slightly and drifted back off to sleep. With a smile on his face, Jack walked over to his side of the bed and began unbuttoning his shirt. He sat down on the edge of the bed and removed his shoes and socks before heading into the bathroom to brush his teeth.

Carly lay quietly on the bed with her back to Jack. She hadn't heard him enter the room, but felt him the moment he stepped inside. She lay there silently and kept her eyes closed as she listened to him move about the room. She immediately felt when his eyes found their way to her. The heat between them was always tangible. She knew he could feel the connection too, but she stayed quiet, feigning sleep. She heard him head into the bathroom to finish getting ready for bed.

A short while later Jack walked back into the room, his eyes never leaving her as he slid into bed. Pulling the covers up to his waist, Jack immediately turned toward Carly, wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close. He nuzzled her neck which sent her pulse racing and she shivered slightly at the sensation as goose bumps appeared all over her.

"I missed you so much," he whispered. His breath was hot against her neck.

Carly's heart ached at the words and she wrapped her arm around his and held it against her waist.

"I missed this. Laying her next to you… feeling you," he said low in her ear.

Carly stayed quiet. She'd missed him too. Desperately. She wanted nothing more than to wrap her arms around him and hold him close and never let him go. But that wasn't going to happen. He was going to do the exact opposite. He was going to go and leave her to chase after Julia.

"Are you not talking to me?" he asked softly.

Carly let out a sigh in response. There was so much she wanted to say but didn't think it mattered at this point. She and Jack were never going to agree on the subject of Julia and how it should be handled.

"Carly look at me," Jack said rolling her toward him so she was on her back facing him. "Talk to me, honey."

"What's the point?" she asked looking up at him. "You're going to do what you think you need to regardless."

"Maybe," he admitted honestly. "But I want to at least try and talk about it. We've always gotten into trouble when we don't talk to each other. I want to continue to learn from our mistakes," he said as he pushed a strand of hair away from her face.

It was hard for him to resist the need to grab her, kiss her and hold her close until the rest of the world disappeared and their problems right along with it. However, that's what they would have done. Now things were different. Now… they were forever. And that meant dealing with issues as they came.

Carly listened to every word and agreed with everything he said. Keeping her eyes averted she kept her focus on his bare, broad chest. She gave in to urge to touch him and allowed her fingertips to trace the contours of his collarbone and chest. She would listen to him and give him time to explain why he felt he needed to leave.

"You start," she said softly. "Tell me why you need to be the one to find her instead of staying here with me and the kids."

Jack smiled, happy that she agreed to talk things through. He took a breath but the words caught in his throat as his concentration broke. The sensations Carly's touch created was enough for him to forget everything he'd said about not wanting to repeat past mistakes. He glanced down at her mouth and saw the slight pout to her lips and thoughts of kissing her senseless nearly overtook him. So instead he reached down and grabbed her hand bringing it to his lips, stopping the distraction.

"You're making it very difficult to concentrate lady," he said with a low chuckle as he kissed her fingertips. "How about I hold your hand for now?" he grinned.

"Ok," Carly grinned back finally peeking up into face. His warm brown eyes twinkled mischievously back at her and she could see that dimple she loved so much even in the darkened room. Jack took another breath and began again.

"Carly when you disappeared with Julia I was out of my mind. I couldn't think straight. Everything just stopped and yet I still felt like I was spinning out of control all at the same time. When I heard your voice over the walkie-talkie Julia had set up in the house and I thought you were upstairs as things were exploding… I've never known pure fear until that moment."

Carly knew exactly what he'd been going through. She remembered being up on that hill looking down at their home, knowing Jack was inside. "I know, Jack. I was there. Julia had me tied up and we were on the hill near the house. I saw you. I watched you walk into that house," she shuddered at that awful memory.

"She had you watch?" he asked horrified.

Carly could only nod as she buried her head in his chest. He held her close as she cried at the memory. He rubbed her back trying to soothe her as he kissed her head.

"It's ok, honey. I'm sorry… I didn't mean to upset you like this," he apologized.

"Its fine," she sniffed trying to collect herself. She was normally not so overemotional all the time. These hormones were killing her and she chuckled to herself.

Jack was thoroughly confused by the laughter. "Is something funny?" he asked perplexed.

"I'm on hormone overdrive," she said shaking her head as she smoothed her hair back and he smiled.

He waited for her to collect herself before continuing. "You are the strongest person I've ever known Carly. Sometimes I take that for granted and I shouldn't. I forget that you can be vulnerable too."

"Mostly when it comes to you," she admitted. "I need you Jack. Always."

"And I need you. That's why I have to make sure that Julia can never harm you again. I didn't finish handling it when we had her in police custody in the hospital in Springfield. I let others do that and what happens? She gets away and good men died because of it," he said angrily trying to keep his voice down so as not to wake the baby.

"But Jack…"

"No Carly. I know what you're going to say. That it's not my fault. I'm not responsible for Julia and I know all that. I don't feel responsible for her any longer. But I didn't follow through and see it all the way to the end."

"It could have been you who died today," Carly said quietly.

"But it wasn't," Jack tried reasoning.

"Remember Jack… I went through having thought I'd lost you. I remember the emptiness. The feeling of nothing. Your body and mind go numb and no matter what anyone says or what anyone does, nothing helps. I stopped feeling. It was like I was me, but not. I would go through an entire day and by the end of it, I couldn't remember what I'd done. I was alive but not really living. It was excruciating." Carly drifted away in thought and Jack saw a haunted look in her eyes. He grabbed her fiercely and held her tight.

"I am so sorry that I put you through that. I never, ever want you to feel that way again."

"Then stay with me," she pleaded pulling back to look at him. "There has to be some other way to handle this without you having to go off looking for her."

"But don't you see, Carly? If I don't find her and stop her, she could come here again. "I couldn't handle it if I wasn't able to protect you or the kids."

Jack thought back to the moment in the woods when he found Julia and saw their son in her arms, heard his cry and the painful feeling of desperation to save him. To rescue him from her and knowing that anything could set her off and that one false move could prove costly. He never wanted to be in that position again.

"If I can prevent her from coming here and doing more damage, than that's what I have to do," he said, trying once more to make her understand.

"But Jack, it's different now. Clearly she's gone beyond just wanting me out of the way. She wants revenge on both of us and she's willing to do whatever she has to, to accomplish that. She's already tried to kill you once. Twice if you count the time when she tried to drown you in the car." Carly looked at him knowing she was fighting an uphill battle. When Jack set his mind, he rarely changed it.

"Plus, you shot her. I don't think she has hopes of reconciling with you at this point. I'm sure she's even angrier with you now, if that's even possible. She'll want you to suffer."

"Yes. That's exactly my point. She'll want me to suffer and she knows that the best way to make that happen is to hurt you and or the kids. Hurting me or killing me does nothing," he said hoping Carly would now see his point.

"But it does accomplish something. She can make sure that if she can't have you, neither will I. And you know that that is something she would do," Carly argued.

Jack took a deep breath. They both had a valid argument. The one and only thing they could both agree on was that Julia was crazier than ever and capable of doing great harm to anyone in her path. They both lay quietly for a moment absorbing everything that had been said. In that moment Michael began to stir.

"I'll get him," Jack offered when Carly moved to get up.

He walked over to the crib and peered down at the tiny child. His arms and legs moved as he began to vocalize his displeasure at not being picked up right away.

"What's the matter buddy?" Jack asked softly as he reached in and lifted him up. Michael quieted down almost immediately at hearing his daddy's voice. "Were mommy and daddy being too loud?" Jack grabbed a diaper and changed him before handing him over to Carly for feeding.

"Is that better?" Carly asked him as he nursed noisily.

Jack laughed. "I think that would be a yes."

Carly smiled down at the beautiful baby in her arms. The smile began to fade as she looked back up at Jack. "We can't loose you Jack," she said to him. "I think about Katie and Jacob and I can't imagine how hard that must have been for her."

Jack closed his eyes and hung his head as he started to turn away from Carly. She reached out a hand and touched his face, bringing it back around to face her.

"I didn't say that to try and hurt you or make you feel guilty about what happened. I'm not blaming you or saying any of it was your fault. You're not responsible. Ralph Manzo did all that. What I am saying is that Katie was alone, raising her son. I can't help but think about that when I'm holding Michael and having to try and deal with the fact that you want to go and risk your life to stop some crazy woman who's already tried to kill you. I need you to understand how I feel," she paused looking down at Michael in her arms. "He looks so much like you. I would be reminded of that loss every time I looked at him. That wouldn't be fair to him. I need you… we all need you," she finished softly as she looked back at Jack.

"I need you too, which is why I have to make sure that Julia can never hurt you again. I can't trust anyone else. It's my job to take care of you and protect you and the kids. I can't fail again," he said looking ashamed.

Carly looked into those dark brown eyes she loved so much and saw a sadness in them. "You haven't failed anyone Jack. Why would you say that?"

"Julia nearly killed you, Carly. She had our son…" he voice broke. "What if I hadn't found her? What if she'd gotten away and had taken Michael with her? I'd never be able to live with myself. I certainly couldn't have faced you, knowing that I'd let you down."

"But you didn't let me down, sweetie. You did find him. You brought him back safe and sound," she smiled at him and looked down at the infant still nursing. "And you saved me."

"I nearly lost you," he whispered touching her face. "It scared me, Carly. All those thoughts and feelings came flooding back. When you had that scare years ago, I've never been as scared as that until now. That terror of never being able to hold you, kiss you, hear your voice, and see you smile…" he closed his eyes trying to push the awful thoughts from his mind.

Now it was Carly's turn to feel guilty. She became quiet as she turned her focus on Michael. He was nearly asleep now, having gotten his fill.

Jack shook his head to clear those thoughts away and looked back at Carly. He could tell something was wrong. "Hey… you ok?"

Carly sniffed. "I was desperate, Jack. I never…" she began but Jack cut her off.

"Carly - don't say it. Like you, I didn't bring that up to make you feel bad. I know the whole story and I know you were told that you were going to die. All those feelings and all those emotions, everything we shared at that moment - that was real. Everything I said to you, I meant those words. I loved you then and I love you now. My entire relationship with Katie was about you. Let's face it Carly, all of my other relationships have been about you. My pride is a powerful thing and it gets me into trouble. The only thing more powerful is my love for you. I would try and move on, to bury the hurt and pain from you leaving. Try to find a way to somehow remove you from my mind and heart. For some reason I thought I could live without you. What was I thinking?" he said cupping the side of her face and letting his thumb brush against her lower lip.

He leaned over toward her and slowly brought his lips to hers. His kiss was soft and tentative, as if seeking forgiveness. Her mouth parted slightly and he slowly and seductively grazed the tip of her tongue with his own. Carly leaned towards him and gave a tiny moan. Knowing it was too soon to take things where he'd like to, Jack reluctantly pulled back slowly letting his lips linger, savoring the taste of her.

"No more talk about the past. What's done is done. I'm where I've always wanted to be… with you. For the rest of my life."

Pure love filled Carly's face as she smiled at his heartfelt words. "I love you with every part of me," she told him.

"I can't loose you. I _won't_ loose you," he told her fiercely.

"What are you going to do?" she asked resigning herself for the answer she didn't want to hear.

"I'm going to stay here in Oakdale… with you," he said adamantly.

_In a remote farmhouse…_

It was dark and the moon was full and bright as Julia sat on the porch swing. She had finished up the cobbler and had done the dishes before heading outside to the porch. Even though the sun had gone down hours ago, the air was still warm and the slight breeze felt nice against her skin. She'd sleep with the windows open tonight, she thought. It was peaceful there in the quiet of the night. She could hear the crickets chirping out in the corn fields and the hoot of an owl every now and again. She smiled thinking of what it would be like to sit here with Jack on the swing, holding his hand. They'd talk about their day and then head into the house and fall asleep in each other's arms. Life would have been so perfect. Her smile faded, however. Julia looked up into the sky and stared at the millions of stars twinkling back at her. In that moment she became fully aware of just how alone she was and always would be. Jack was forever lost to her. That realization was hard to accept but it was necessary.

She stood up and walked into the house and headed upstairs. She walked down the hallway of the old farmhouse peeking inside each room. She found what looked to be a guest room and decided on that room as hers. She found a change of clothes and washed her face before heading back into the room. She sat on the edge of the bed as she began brushing her hair. The continual motion was soothing and she cleared her mind and thought. No longer concerned with getting Jack back, she allowed her mind to wander and concoct new strategies to make him suffer. Since she could no longer live with him… he could no longer live.


	51. Chapter 51

**Chapter Fifty-one**

It was early still. The light of the early morning had begun to lighten the sky, but the sun hadn't quite made its presence known. However, it was enough to have alerted the birds for they had started their early morning chirping. Carly sat quietly leaning against the headboard with her eyes closed. Michael nursed contentedly and Jack slept peacefully beside her. His hand resting protectively on her hip. Carly smiled at the reassurance his touch gave her.

After their talk last night, she'd carried Michael back to his crib and put him down. Then she'd crawled back into bed and into Jack's waiting arms. They held each other like that for a long time. Not saying a word, just listening and feeling each other's hearts beating. Carly had finally drifted off to sleep. Each time she stirred or moved in the slightest though, Jack would wrap an arm around her and pull her toward him, holding her close. It was almost as if he were afraid to let go because if he did, she'd disappear.

Carly glanced down at Michael and noticed that he'd fallen back to sleep. She brushed a finger against his soft little cheek and kissed the top of his head before she gently moved Jack's hand away from her. She slowly and quietly got up and walked Michael back over to the crib and gently laid him back down. She climbed back into bed and pulled the covers up. As she did so, Jack rolled over and pulled her close once more so that her back was snug against his chest.

"Mmmm. That's better," he said sleepily in her ear.

"I thought you were asleep," she smiled snuggling closer.

"I was, but I felt you get up."

"I'm sorry. I was trying not to wake you," she said as she gently rubbed his arm.

"It's alright. I need to get up anyway. I want to check in at the station," he said rubbing his cheek against hers. Carly stiffened immediately.

"Relax. I'm just going in to the station for a couple of hours," he said kissing her neck and giving her a squeeze. "I'll be back by lunch."

"I didn't say anything," Carly said defensively.

"You didn't have to say anything. Your whole body tensed up the minute I mentioned going into work," he teased her.

"I know," she sighed. "I can't help it. We just got back yesterday. We've been apart for what feels like forever. I just wanted you here with me and the kids," she said with a slight pout on her lips.

Jack smiled at her blatant attempt to persuade him to stay. She knew he was powerless against that mouth of hers.

"Isn't there any way I could convince you not to go," she said softly wiggling up against him. His sharp intake of breath indicated she'd hit just the right spot.

"You aren't playing fair," he said huskily in her ear.

"Who said I would?" she said grinning mischievously.

Jack moved his hands down to her hips and held her steady. "What am I going to do with you?" his breath was hot against her skin right before he nipped that sensitive spot where her shoulder and neck met.

"I can think of a few things," Carly said seductively.

"So can I," he said quickly rolling her onto her back and positioning himself above her.

He grabbed her wrists and moved them so they were above her head. Then he allowed his hands to slide slowly down her arms, to her shoulders and finally down to the side of her breasts where they lingered. His eyes moved with his hands, taking in every inch of her. God, he'd missed her! Her nightshirt was still unbuttoned from when she'd been nursing and it exposed an ample amount of skin that was making it very hard for Jack to concentrate. He knew it was much too soon for them to make love. However, after everything they'd been through and the fact that he'd nearly lost her, he was going to take his time and appreciate this moment for all it was worth.

Jack leaned down and kissed the exposed swell of her breast. Carly arched her back and tilted her head to the side savoring the sensations Jack was creating. Her hands mindlessly found their way to his hair. Jack pushed the nightshirt out of his way and bared one hardened nipple. He flicked it lightly with his tongue and Carly moaned with pleasure as she grabbed a handful of his hair at the slight touch. He continued his assault as his tongue traced circles around the firm nub. He moved his body against hers, the thin fabrics between them unable to conceal Jack's desire for her. She wrapped a leg around him, moving just so. The slight shift provided the intended result. The rock-hard length of him rested perfectly against her. Carly's fingers grabbed hold of his shoulders and dug in. Her body was on fire.

"Jack," she breathed heavily as she moved herself against him.

He rocked against her creating a dangerous friction. Somewhere in the far corner of his mind, Jack knew he had to stop, but she felt so good and they felt so right together… just like always. He trailed kisses up her neck and sought her mouth.

Carly wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him deeply, pulling him toward her. She needed this, needed him. Though he fought it, she was finally rewarded and felt him give in. He lay against her, letting her feel his full weight. Their tongues danced to a familiar carnal rhythm. Her hips moved with his, eliciting a low moan from him. He pulled back abruptly, breathing heavy.

"Carly…" he panted as he pushed himself up. He shook his head slightly trying to clear his mind.

She tugged at him, trying to pull him back. Her lips were parted and swollen from the kiss. He looked down at her with heavy lidded eyes, dark with desire. He reached a hand up and caressed the side of her face and kissed her softly on the mouth. "I want you so bad," he said never taking his eyes off her.

"Yes," she nodded, sliding her palms down his chest.

"Sweetheart," he pleaded closing his eyes at her touch. "We can't…"

Carly groaned in disappointment. She knew he was right.

She lay back down, frustrated. Her tousled hair splayed all around. Jack thought she'd never looked sexier. He straightened her nightshirt and slowly buttoned the top few to help lessen the distraction they induced. He felt her pulse race instantly as the side of his hand slightly grazed the tip of her nipple. He gave her a look that made her blush as they locked eyes and just gazed at each other for a few quiet moments.

"I love you," he spoke softly to her.

"And I love you."

"I'm going to go jump in a cold shower," he said kissing the tip of her nose.

Carly smiled slowly with a raised eyebrow.

"Don't even think about," he said, casting her a warning look.

She opened her mouth to reply but he swiftly kissed her before getting up and heading to the bathroom. He couldn't help but look back at her lying there on the bed. One of her long legs peeked out at him and he fought every basic desire in his body that urged him to return to the bed and ravish her.

Carly lay still on the bed for the moment and contemplated whether or not to join him. She heard the click of the lock and dissolved into a fit of giggles.

A short while later, Jack emerged clean-shaven and dressed for work. She smiled knowingly at him as he walked over to the bed and sat down next to her.

"I will freely admit that I have no self-control when it comes to you," he said quietly, grinning at her.

"That's the way I like it," she said naughtily.

"I know." He kissed her cheek. "Try and get some sleep and I'll be back for lunch."

"Promise?"

"Absolutely. You have my word," he said kissing the top of her head before getting up and heading toward the door. He stopped and blew a kiss to her before he left, shutting it quietly behind him.

Carly lay there quietly for a bit after he left. Her body was still humming after their encounter. Finally her eyes became heavy and sleep took over.

_Later that same day…_

Since it was a Saturday, Parker and Sage didn't have school Carly had spent a wonderful morning with the kids. Sage was a terrific big sister and Carly barely had to attend to Michael other than for feeding. Sage wanted to help with everything and Carly was more than happy to have this time with her daughter. Parker and JJ were sweet with Michael too. They each held him and talked to him promising to show him how to ride a bike, catch a ball and the best way to annoy Sage. The morning had nearly been perfect. The only thing missing was Jack.

The day was turning out to be a warm one. Lucinda had called and invited Parker, JJ and Sage over to swim with Faith, Natalie and Ethan. Lucinda, aware of the current situation with Julia, said she'd send her driver over to pick the kids up.

So, it was just Carly and Lily in the living room talking about everything that had happened with Julia, when the doorbell rang. Lily jumped up to answer it.

Carly turned her head when she heard the familiar voice and saw her sister walk into the room, followed by Daryl. Carly stood up and hugged Rosanna and then carefully hugged Daryl.

"It's so good to see you," she told him. "I was so worried when I heard what had happened. How are you feeling?"

"Lots better. But how are you? You had a rough time of it too," he asked concerned.

"I'm fine. Sore, but that's normal after having a baby," she laughed. She moved over to one of the chairs as did Lily so that Daryl and Rosanna could sit on the sofa.

Carly noticed how comfortable Daryl was around Rosanna and watched him put his arm on the back of the sofa, but also around her. Rosanna rewarded him with a sweet smile and patted his leg.

"You had more than just childbirth to deal with," he said seriously turning his attention back to Carly.

"Yeah, I know. I just don't know what to say about all of it," Carly said quietly.

"I know. Sometimes the emotional wounds take longer to heal," he said softly.

"Yes. They do," Carly agreed.

"So where's Jack?" Daryl asked looking around.

"He went down to the station to check up on how things are going. But he should be back soon," she added quickly.

"Oh. I just thought he'd want to stay…" he began.

"Yeah… well, he said he'd be back by lunchtime," she said looking down at her watch. It was lunchtime now and he wasn't back. Carly had a million thoughts run through her head. None of them good.

"Speaking of which, I'll go and get lunch ready. I made some sandwiches earlier," Lily said. "You guys are more than welcome to stay," she said to Rosanna and Daryl.

"That sounds wonderful," Rosanna said. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"No. Just sit and visit. I'll be back in a moment."

Daryl could tell Carly was becoming a little agitated as she glanced toward the door as if by willing it she could somehow conjure Jack. "I'm sure he'll be home soon. You know Jack… when he's working he looses track of time," he said trying to reassure her with a smile.

She pasted a smile on her face and nodded in agreement. She forced herself to stay on the sofa and pretend everything was fine. That despite appearances what she really wanted to do was run to the car and drive to the station and see for herself that everything was fine.

A small cry from the monitor sitting on the end table gave Carly a desperately needed distraction. She stood up to go get Michael, but Rosanna was quicker.

"Please let me get him. You sit and rest," she said allowing no room for argument.

"Thanks," Carly said genuinely. She knew holding Michael would help calm her nerves.

"I can't wait to see him," Daryl said. "Rosanna can't stop talking about him. She's head over heels for the little guy."

"I think there's someone else she might like a little more," Carly said no-so subtly.

Daryl flashed a grin at that. "I hope so," he admitted genuinely. "Hey, do you want me to give Jack a call for you?"

"That would be fantastic," she smiled back at him gratefully.

"I'll be right back," Daryl said getting up and stepping outside.

Lily showed up a few moments later and was surprised to see only Carly in the living room. "Did they leave?" she asked setting down a platter of sandwiches, fruits and vegetables.

"No. Rosanna's upstairs getting Michael and Daryl stepped outside to make a phone call."

"Oh good. I was worried for a minute. My mother just called. Apparently Ethan doesn't have his swim trunks. I'm going to bring those over to her place and I'll be back in a little bit. Do you need anything while I'm out?"

_Just Jack_, Carly thought to herself.

"No I'm good. Thanks for asking, though. You've been a lifesaver. Thanks Lily," she said getting up and giving her a hug.

"Here he is," Rosanna called out as she entered the room carrying Michael. "We changed his diaper and he was such a good boy," she said rubbing his back.

"He is so precious," Lily said taking a peek at him before leaving. "Be back later."

"Here's mommy," Rosanna cooed as she handed him over to Carly. "I swear he's gotten bigger since yesterday," she chuckled.

"With the way he eats, I wouldn't be surprised," Carly said, sitting down in the chair to nurse him.

"This looks great," Rosanna said helping herself to a sandwich and the strawberries. "Where did Daryl go?"

"He stepped outside to call Jack for me," Carly said sheepishly. "I didn't ask him to, he offered."

"That was very sweet of him," she said sitting back down.

"So how are things going between you? By the looks of it… pretty well," Carly smiled knowingly.

Rosanna tilted her head and smiled. "Things are going really well."

"I didn't realize that he was already out of the hospital."

"He was released last night."

"So did he go back to the Lakeview? I don't know how I'd feel about staying there again after what happened."

"Yes, I felt a little weird about going back there. He didn't say anything to make me think otherwise, but I offered to let him stay at my place anyway," Rosanna said very nonchalantly, making sure to keep her eyes averted.

Carly sat there and just stared at her sister. Slowly Rosanna peered over at her which was what Carly had been waiting for. "You're just telling me this _now_? So what does this mean? Are you two pretty serious then? I knew you two were going to hit it off," she smiled smugly.

"Slow down," Rosanna laughed. "Nothing happened last night… other than he slept over at my place. And yes, I do mean just sleeping," Rosanna added when Carly raised her eyebrow. "To be honest, I was grateful for the company. I have another suite, but even still with everything that happened to you and Daryl there… it was nice to have someone with me."

"I know exactly how you feel," Carly said quietly her thoughts drifting back to Jack once more.

"Look who I found outside," Daryl said coming from the hallway. A moment later he and Jack walked into the living room.

"Jack!" Carly said visibly relieved.

"Hey sweetheart. Sorry I'm a little later than I thought I'd be. I stopped off at the hospital thinking I'd check in to see how this guy was," he said patting Daryl on the shoulder, "only to find out he'd been released last night." He walked over to Carly and kissed her.

"I'm just glad you're home safe," she said touching his cheek.

"You don't need to worry," he said softly to her so that only she could hear him. "Did I miss lunch?" he asked standing up.

"No. Lily just set everything up a little while ago. She had to run over Ethan's swim shorts to Lucinda's. All the kids are swimming over there today."

"Well, this looks great," Jack said reaching for a sandwich. "I'm starving. What can I get you ladies to drink?"

"Ice tea for me," Carly said.

"That sounds good to me," Rosanna replied.

"I'll be right back," Jack told them as he headed to the kitchen.

"I'll help you," Daryl said following.

Jack and Daryl headed to the kitchen. Jack opened up the refrigerator and pulled out the pitcher of ice tea. Daryl found the cupboard with the glasses and got 2 of them down.

"What did you need to talk to me about?" Daryl asked him.

"You picked up on that?"

"It may have been several years since we worked together, but I can still read your signals Jack."

"Agent Willis was at the station. He told me that you're heading back to work already. Are you sure you're feeling up to it? You've already gone above and beyond, Daryl. I don't want you risking your life again. Not for me," Jack said seriously.

"Jack… I'm an FBI Agent. I put my life on the line everyday. What kind of asinine statement is that?"

"I'm just trying to say that…" Jack began.

"Well don't say anything. Julia Lindsey, regardless of the fact that she's your ex-wife, is wanted by the FBI. I'm one of the officers assigned to the case. End of story," he stated.

"Yes, because I called you. I got you involved," Jack argued.

"No. Because I asked to be," Daryl shot back.

"I just don't want you coming back too soon. Don't rush it. Wait until you're ready."

"I am ready. I may not be doing a lot of field work right away, but I can certainly do plenty behind the scenes. Have they found any new leads?" he asked abruptly changing the subject.

Jack conceded the point and felt no reason to argue about it further. "No, not really. They've narrowed down the area she could have covered and so they're concentrating their search there. Margo seems confident that they're getting close."

"What about you? How involved do you plan on being?" Daryl asked him.

Jack sighed. "Originally I had planned on being right there in the thick of things. However, Carly and the kids need me right now. My focus has to be on her and keeping her feeling safe."

"I could tell she was worried about you."

"She didn't even want me to leave this morning. And I understand what she's feeling, but I need to be somewhat involved. I can't just sit back and do nothing. At the very least I need to be at the station. But on the other hand, I don't feel comfortable just leaving her by herself," said frustrated.

"What are you going to do?"

"I haven't fully figured that out yet," he said grabbing the glasses and heading back out to the living room with Daryl following behind.

Jack and Daryl found Carly and Rosanna on the sofa. Carly had finished feeding Michael and Rosanna was now holding him. Jack walked over and handed Carly her glass and then turned to Rosanna.

"Trade ya," he said setting her glass down on the coffee table and holding out his arms for his son.

"Oh alright," Rosanna said disappointedly. "I get to hold him later."

"We'll see…" Jack chuckled as he picked up Michael. He began walking around the room with him humming a little tune.

"I've had all this extra help today," Carly smiled as she filled a plate with some of the lunch Lily had made. "Sage was a huge help this morning. She just jumped right in and changed each diaper and burped him. I'll miss having her around during the day while she's finishing up the school year."

"You'll have me," Jack said smiling back at her.

"Yes. When you're not at the station," she said softly looking up at him.

Jack stopped his walking and met her eyes. They spoke volumes. "I'm sorry I worried you. I won't do it again."

Just then Daryl's phone rang. He looked down at the number and excused himself to take the call, but not before glancing quickly at Jack.

Jack began humming and walking with Michael again in an attempt to distract Carly and Rosanna. He played that up for a little while until walking over to Rosanna.

"Would you like to hold him while I run to the bathroom?" he asked.

"Of course I would!" Rosanna exclaimed setting down her glass quickly.

Jack carefully handed Michael to Rosanna and headed down the hall toward the bathroom. Carly watched him leave knowing full well that wasn't where he was headed.

Jack caught up with Daryl outside on the front porch and waited impatiently for Daryl to finish up the phone call.

"So? What's the latest?"

"Apparently they received a tip about an elderly couple. A dairy deliveryman stopped by their farm early this morning and noticed they weren't up and about as usual. He noticed their truck still parked outside but neither one of them was home. He says he usually has a cup of coffee with them on the mornings he makes his deliveries and he was concerned about them after seeing the reports looking for Julia. Their farmhouse falls right in the area the search is being concentrated in," Daryl explained.

"And did they go out and investigate?"

"They're heading out there now. Agent Willis and Margo will be among them."

"I'm surprised Margo hasn't called me," Jack said irritated. Not a second later, Jack felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. Pulling it out and giving Daryl a sheepish grin he answered it. "Hey Margo." Margo filled him with the latest information and that she'd call him as soon as they were done. "Thanks and be careful," Jack said before hanging up.

"What do we do now?" Daryl asked him.

Jack took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. "Now we wait."


	52. Chapter 52

**Chapter Fifty-two**

Margo paced alongside the police car parked in front of the old farmhouse. There were at least a dozen men and women in various uniforms combing the property looking for clues. Two bodies had been discovered inside the barn and they were waiting to see if the deliveryman, who'd made the call to report the couple missing, could make a positive ID.

It was late afternoon and it was warm. The dry dust and dirt was being stirred up by all the movement from all the people searching the land and it was causing Margo a lot of irritation. She coughed and cleared her throat as Agent Willis approached her.

"Well?" she asked letting the question hang in the air.

"They were positively ID as Frank and Gracie Chastain," he told her.

Margo had known they would be. As soon as she had pulled onto the country road leading to the house, she knew things were not going to turn out well.

"I'll go ahead and call Snyder and Sullivan," Agent Willis informed her.

"Actually, why don't you let me do that," Margo told him. She'd worked with Jack for over a decade at this point. She knew how he was going to take the news and felt it would be better coming from a friend and colleague rather than a suit. Not that she had anything against Agent Willis. Just that sometimes, compassion was needed and this was one of those times.

Agent Willis shrugged and walked back toward the barn where the deliveryman was still giving his statement.

_Back in Oakdale…_

"Can I get you anything?" Jack asked Carly as he got up from the chair next to her.

"No I'm fine," she said rewarding him with a smile.

"How about you, Rosanna? Daryl? Can I get you anything?" he asked picking up the plates and glasses from their lunch.

"I'm good," Daryl told him.

"Nothing for me, thank you," Rosanna said.

"Alright. Be back in a minute," he said carrying the dishes to the kitchen.

"So," Rosanna began turning to Carly. "How long do you plan on staying here at Lily's?"

"I suppose we'll be here until Julia is caught and locked up for good," Carly said solemnly. "Hopefully it won't be too long."

"Then what are your plans?" Daryl asked.

"I honestly don't know. Jack and I haven't really had a chance to discuss it. I haven't seen the house since that night," she said quietly looking down at her hands in her lap.

"Has Jack heard back from the insurance company yet?" Daryl asked.

"No. I think they said they'd be calling sometime this afternoon, but I'm not sure. These last few weeks have been crazy. I think at this point we're just going to take things one step at a time. The kids are almost out of school for the summer and like I said, we're not going anywhere until Julia is caught."

"Well… if you both wouldn't mind, I would like to help with the house whenever you're ready to start thinking about that," Rosanna offered.

"Rosanna! Absolutely not," Carly stated adamantly.

"Why not?"

"Because," Carly said.

"Because isn't a reason," Rosanna laughed. "Besides, consider it a combination wedding and baby present."

"That's ridiculous," Carly sighed shaking her head. "We couldn't possibly let you do that."

"Carly… you should know by now that I won't take no for an answer," she said with a gleam in her eye.

Just then the doorbell rang distracting Carly from her response. "We'll continue this in a moment," she said getting up to answer it. Carly got to the front door just as Jack came around the corner.

"I'll answer it honey," he said moving quickly to step in front of her causing Carly to become uneasy.

"You don't think she would just walk right up to the front door, do you?" she asked knowing that he would know whom she was referring to.

"Of course not," Jack said trying to reassure her but failing. Hearing the voice on the other side of the door however eased the tension.

"Carly… Jack… It's Craig. Let me in."

"Oh great," Jack said sarcastically. "Who told him where to find us?"

"Definitely not me."

"Should we hide?" Jack asked only half joking. "Maybe he'll go away."

"He won't leave until we at least find out why he's here," Carly told him.

"I'm going to have a talk with Officers Franklin and Cooper. Make sure they use better judgment on who they allow past," Jack said referring to the officers parked across the street.

Jack opened the door and found Craig on the other side with his hands full of shopping bags. "I've come bearing gifts for the newest Tenney-Snyder Original," he said smugly.

"Are you trying to buy your way inside Craig?" Jack asked not budging from his spot.

"It's nice to know some things never change," Carly said over Jack's shoulder, shaking her head.

"You know bribing an officer is a punishable offense," Jack crossing his arms.

"Well, it's nice to see both of you too," he said sarcastically. "Come on… you can let me in for a moment, can't you? I promise I won't stay long."

"Make it quick," Jack glared at him as he stepped aside to let Craig by. "And keep it down - the baby's sleeping," he added shutting the door behind him.

"What do you want Craig?" Carly asked him.

"That hurts," he said trying his best to sound insulted.

"Oh please," Carly said rolling her eyes as she headed back into the living room.

"I came by to see the baby and find out how you were doing and to…" he trailed off once he saw that Jack and Carly already had company. Rosanna and Daryl were sitting on the sofa next to each other. Daryl had his arm around her while she held a sleeping Michael.

"Hello Craig," Rosanna said pleasantly.

"Rosanna," he nodded. "It's always lovely to see you." He turned his attention toward Daryl. "And Drake was it? Or Dirk… Dillon?"

"It's Daryl, which you already knew," Carly said reprimanding him.

The image was very unsettling for Craig. Memories of he and Rosanna with Cabot flashed through his mind. Seeing her with Daryl like this did not sit well.

"I thought you were in the hospital?" Craig questioned him.

"I was. They released me last night," Daryl smiled.

"Why don't' you sit down and tell us why you're here Craig," Carly said to him.

"No that's alright. I won't stay. I didn't realize that you already had company," he said quietly.

"Are you sure? You seemed so eager to come in a few moments ago and now you're just going to go without even seeing the baby? Carly said teasing him.

"I hope you're not leaving on my account," Daryl said looking up at him. He gave Rosanna's shoulder a gentle squeeze as he said it. A gesture that did not go unnoticed by Craig.

"No. I just remembered I need to go and pick up Johnny. You should come by for a visit," he said to Rosanna. "He's missed you."

"I'll try to stop by and see him," Rosanna offered.

"I know he'd like that," Craig replied not just referring to Johnny. "I'm glad you're home and that you and the baby are ok," Craig said to Carly before turning to leave.

"Are you sure you need to go so soon?" Jack asked as he followed Craig to the door.

"Yes and I can tell you're really broken up about it Jack."

"Next time - call first," Jack said seriously as he opened the door. "And thanks for the baby gifts."

"Nice to see you Jack," Craig said as he walked out the door.

After Jack closed the door, Craig stood on the front porch for a moment as he pulled his sunglasses out of the inside pocket of his suit jacket. He had hoped to speak with Carly about Rosanna. He hadn't anticipated on her being there with him. What the hell did she see in that guy? He couldn't make someone like Rosanna happy. She needed to be challenged and kept on her toes. This Daryl guy would never be able to keep her satisfied. He'd lost one sister to that fate. He couldn't loose the other. He put his sunglasses on and walked down the steps to his car.

Back inside Lily's house Jack, Carly, Rosanna and Daryl sat around discussing their visit from Craig.

"I think seeing the two of you here together really threw him, Carly smiled unable to hide her joy.

"Whatever the reason for it, I'm just glad he wasn't here long," Jack said getting up as his phone started ringing. "This is Jack," he answered heading to another room to take the call.

Daryl watched him leave.

"Perhaps now he'll get the hint after seeing how cozy the two of you are," Carly said more to Rosanna than to Daryl.

Rosanna stayed silent, not saying anything.

"What's going on Rosanna?" Carly questioned her.

"Nothing. It's just I sort of feel bad for him that's all," she said softly.

"Why on earth would you?" Carly asked.

"Well… he came here not expecting that Daryl and I would be here. Plus the welcome he did get wasn't really a warm one," she tried to explain.

"He stopped by unannounced. What did he expect would happen? He knows how I feel about him and how Jack's always felt about him. It shouldn't have come as that big of a shock, Rosanna. Besides, he was trying to buy his way in, just like always."

"I know. I guess I'm just feeling a little guilty."

"What do you have to feel guilty about?" Daryl asked her concerned.

"I know that Craig was hoping to perhaps rekindle what we once had. I never told him no."

"But you never told him yes either," Carly quickly said defensively. "Did you?"

"No I didn't but I should have made it clear that way he didn't get his feelings hurt."

"You don't have anything to feel guilty about," Daryl said softly rubbing her shoulder. "You've had a lot of stuff going on and other things that are more important to deal with. If you feel you need to talk with him, then you should. But only if it's what you want. Don't let him guilt you into it."

"Thank you," she smiled sweetly at him.

Out of the corner of his eye, Daryl saw Jack pacing in the hallway still on the phone. He excused himself and got up to go find out what the latest information was. He knew the news was not good.

"They found the couple from the farmhouse out in the barn. They were positively ID as Frank and Gracie Chastain by the same guy who called in concerned about them. It'll be a day or two until the autopsy report is complete, but it looks like they were bludgeoned to death and then buried beneath the hay," Jack told him.

"So what's the next step?" "Margo said that they found some tire tracks leading away from the back of the barn. They have a forensic team out there making prints of the tracks to narrow down what kind of vehicle we're looking for. The couple's pickup truck was still parked outside so we know that whoever did this had access to another vehicle."

"So we aren't ruling out that there could be another suspect in all this," Daryl questioned.

"We have to cover all our bases," Jack stated automatically.

"But what is your gut telling you?"

"That Julia has claimed two more victims," Jack said feeling sick to his stomach.

"What do you want to do?"

"I want more protection for my wife and kids," he said running a hand through his hair. Jack could feel the panic begin to rise in his throat.

"I'd be willing to stay here with you guys. That way one of us can always be here while the other checks in at the station."

"I can't ask you to do that," Jack told him.

"You didn't and I don't want to get into all of that with you again. Jack, you have to face it. This problem with Julia is too big. She's crossed the line and it's not just about you and Carly anymore. She's killed at least 4 people that we know of."

"Alright. You're right, this isn't just about us. And yes, I will gladly take you up on your offer to stay here at the house with us," Jack said patting him on the shoulder.

"What's going on?" Carly said coming around the corner. "Why is Daryl going to be staying with us?"

"I'll leave you two alone," Daryl said softly as he headed back into the living room to join Rosanna.

"What happened?" Carly asked trying to hide the fear she felt. She knew that if she showed her fear openly Jack would clam up and try and keep things from her in order to try and protect her. She must have done a good job because Jack didn't hesitate to tell her everything. Inside Carly was freaking out but she remained calm on the outside.

"So, when Daryl offered to stay I felt I had to say yes. I want as much protection for you and the kids as I can get."

"That was very generous of him," Carly said softly.

"Are you ok?" Jack asked her pulling her into a hug. "I know that it's a lot to deal with and I'm amazed by how well you're handling it." He kissed the top of her head as he rubbed her back, trying to ease away the tension he could feel building up inside her.

"As long as you're here to hold me - I'll be alright," she said hugging him back tightly.

"I won't let her hurt you again," he told her fiercely.

"I know."

Jack and Carly headed back into the other room with Daryl and Rosanna. Jack kept his arm around her the whole time. As he sat down in a chair, he pulled her onto his lap. Carly was grateful for the gesture. After everything she'd just heard about Julia and that poor elderly couple she murdered needlessly, she needed the extra reassurance his touch gave her. She leaned her head against his as he rubbed her back.

"Daryl told me briefly what's going on," Rosanna said sympathetically. "If it's alright with both of you, I'd like to stay too."

"No," both Daryl and Jack said adamantly.

"Why not?" Carly asked looking from one to the other.

"We don't need an extra person to worry about and try to keep safe," Jack explained.

"I understand the risk," Rosanna told him.

"I would like to have her here with me," Carly reasoned.

"I can help with the baby and the kids," Rosanna offered. "Jack… you and Daryl are going to be preoccupied with bringing Julia to justice. Carly is going to need someone here to help her. It might as well be me."

"Please Jack. Let her stay," Carly begged him.

Jack looked into those blue eyes he'd fallen in love with all those years ago in Montana. He reached up and caressed her cheek and watched as her eyes closed momentarily at the touch. He could feel her heart racing with anxiety over this newest development. As much as he hated the idea, if having Rosanna here helped Carly in any way he couldn't say no.

"Ok. She can stay," he said softly to her.

"Thanks G-Man," she said kissing him softly on the lips.

Daryl was not happy. He didn't want Rosanna caught in the middle of all this but knew he was outnumbered. Rosanna looked at him and could tell he was upset.

"Everything's going to be ok," she told him trying to ease his concern.

"I hope so," he said. "I really hope so."

_Meanwhile, on an old dirt road in the middle of nowhere…_

Julia drove along the road in the old 1952 Plymouth that she had luckily found parked out in an old garage behind the barn. She was feeling even luckier when the car had actually started. She wasn't sure it would. She had made the decision that she had to leave after having dispatched of the nice couple that had picked her up along the road the day before. She had been sitting on the swing out on the porch after they'd had dessert. Frank and Gracie had gone into their family room to watch the news before bed. She heard the television turn on and she froze. The reporter was giving a description of a woman who was armed and dangerous and was telling people to contact the police with any information. Julia had slowly and quietly gotten up off the swing and headed into the house. She stopped for a moment and looked into the family room and saw Gracie sitting in her chair. She met Julia's eyes with desperation and panic. Those same eyes darted toward the kitchen to where Julia knew their phone was. Julia turned slowly and walked toward the kitchen. Frank had his back to her with the phone in one hand and was dialing with the other. In one swift move, she hit him over the head with the closest thing she could grab.

She had reached for the handle of a decorative water pitcher sitting on the kitchen counter and swung. The pitcher connected with Frank's head dropping him immediately. As he sank to the floor, the phone dropped from his hand and clattered around on the floor. She raised her arm again, ready to bring it down on top of his head once more when a voice cried out from behind her.

"NO! Please don't hurt him," Gracie pleaded as she clutched the wall in fear. She stood in the doorway with her eyes darting rapidly from Julia to her husband, whom she desperately wanted to help.

The blow had been a devastating one because Frank lay motionless on the ground at Julia's feet. "He shouldn't have done that," Julia said coldly. She turned her attention back to the task at hand and brought the vase down on Frank again and again as Gracie screamed in the background.

Julia shook her head and rolled down the window to clear the memories from her mind. She needed to use this time to think and to plan her next move. Not reflect on things that had already happened. The first order of business was to get back to Oakdale undetected. Thankfully, there were several small roads that wound their way back there. The difficulty lay in finding one that would not have a patrol car looking for her. She would also need to find another car between now and then. This one might be too conspicuous. Plus, she was sure that the authorities would soon figure out what kind of care she was driving, if they hadn't already by now.

Once back in town, she would need to figure out how to get to Jack. She knew that the house in Milltown wouldn't be an option, so she figured Emma's farm would be the best place to start. The farm. Family dinners, quiet nights, all the things and people she loved once upon her time again filled her mind. At one time, it was a place she'd called home. She remembered those days, living with Emma, getting to know her and the family, feeling accepted and welcome. She'd had everything she'd ever wanted one minute and in the next it was gone. She focused on the road in front of her. Her thoughts continue to drift back to Oakdale and happier times. It would be nice to be home…


	53. Chapter 53

**Chapter Fifty-three**

It had been a couple of weeks since Rosanna and Daryl had moved into Lily's with Jack and Carly. They had settled into a nice routine and it, at times, almost felt like they were on vacation. However, Carly had begun to feel restless and was anxious for this whole Julia nightmare to be over and done with for good.

Not that she wasn't grateful to Lily for her unbelievable generosity. It was just that Carly was more than ready to be in her own home again. Rosanna too had been more than generous with her time and money. Jack had received word from the insurance company that the house's basic foundation had withstood the damage and that if they had wanted to rebuild they could. She and Jack had discussed it in bed one night after having put Michael down…

"_So what do you think, honey? Do you want to rebuild or would you rather start fresh somewhere else?" Jack had asked her. Carly was lying on her back next to him on the bed and staring up at the ceiling, thinking. Jack was lying on his side with one hand propping up his head and the other hand resting on her stomach, his thumb gently caressing her._

_She turned her head and looked up into those deep, dark brown eyes of his. "Well… at one point, I wouldn't have thought twice about finding a new place," she began. "But now, our whole life is there. Parker was born there and other than the farm, this has been the only home Sage has ever known. I just can't picture living anywhere else," she finished._

"_So you would rather rebuild," Jack surmised._

"_I don't know. Once upon a time we talked about building a home together," she said softly looking away from him. She placed her hands on his, gently rubbing his arm._

"_Carly's Prize," he whispered remembering back to when he'd purchased that plot of land all those years ago. He had believed that place would have been the perfect spot to build a home together with Carly. Granted when he first saw the piece of land he hadn't even met Carly yet. But once he had, he couldn't picture living there, building a life and raising a family with anyone but her. When he'd shown her the deed with both their names on it, he'd asked her to marry him._

_He looked down at her and met her blue eyes. He grabbed one of her hands and held it, giving it a tiny squeeze. Carly looked back at him. No words needed to be said. Each knew what the other was thinking. They lay there quietly for a moment before Carly spoke again._

"_I think I would rather rebuild. That place is home. We can add new touches here and there and can keep certain things the same," she smiled at him._

"_That sounds great," he said smiling in return. Jack leaned down and gave her a slow, lingering kiss. He caressed the side of her face, taking his time and savoring the taste and feel of her._

_She reached up and ran her fingers through his hair. Jack ran his hand down the side of her body to her waist, wrapped an arm around her and leaned into the kiss. Carly groaned in response and wrapped both arms around him, pressing her body against the length of his and sent his pulse racing._

_Jack moaned in return, letting his mouth leave hers as he trailed hot kisses down the column of her neck to the base of her throat. Carly breathed heavily as she tilted her head to allow him better access. Jack's hands found their way under the hem of her nightshirt and slid slowly up her back. Her skin was soft and warm and she smelled like a mix of her perfume and lotion. The scent was intoxicating and was driving his senses wild. His tongue grazed her skin along her collarbone and he could feel her pulse beating wildly…_

"Hey beautiful," Jack said coming up behind her on the sofa. Surprised by the sound of his voice, Carly jumped. She had been so lost in the memory of that night that she hadn't even heard Jack come in. She blushed at being caught thinking about him and tried to still her pounding heart.

"I'm sorry… I didn't mean to startle you," he chuckled softly and he leaned over the back of the sofa and kissed her cheek. He walked around to the other side and sat down next to her. "What were you thinking about?" he asked suspiciously.

Carly smiled coyly at him. "Nothin'," she replied.

"No, I don't think so," Jack said smiled back and scooted closer to her. "You were definitely thinking about something." He put his arm over the back of the sofa and leaned towards her, closing the distance between them. Unable to help himself, his eyes roamed her over from the top of her head downward. They lingered on her mouth, causing his lips to part and his breathing to become shallow before continuing their path towards the rest of her. Carly could feel her body growing warmer by the second.

"So are you going to tell me or do I have to work it out of you?" he asked her. His voice was low and husky and his eyes were burning with desire.

"I think I might enjoy that," she said moistening her lips.

"I know I would," Jack said flashing her a grin that made her knees weak.

Unable to resist the temptation any longer, she closed the last bit of distance between them and brushed her lips against his. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her tightly to him.

"Mmmm, I missed you," he said breaking the kiss and smiling down at her.

"You're home early," she smiled. "How was your day? Any news?" she asked hopeful.

Jack sighed. "No. We haven't had any new leads on Julia," he said frustrated.

Carly sat there quietly. She too felt beyond frustrated that nothing new had turned up and that Julia was still out there somewhere just biding her time.

"Don't worry, honey. I will find her and then all of this will be over with," he said trying to reassure her.

Carly patted him on the knee. "I know you will."

Jack knew how she was feeling. He was becoming restless too. He felt as if their life had been put on hold until this whole ugly situation could be resolved. It wasn't going to do either one of them any good to dwell on it so he decided to change the subject.

"So what did you do today?"

"I did some more rough sketches of the house. Rosanna and I plan on meeting with the contractor tomorrow to go over things," she said. Knowing what his reaction was going to be didn't stop her from continuing her train of thought. "It would sure make things a whole lot easier though if I could meet him at the site rather than here," she said dodging his eyes.

"We've been over this Carly," Jack said softly.

"I know, I know. You don't want me leaving the house," she said irritated. "But what if you or Daryl were to come with us?"

"I already told you that Daryl and I have a meeting tomorrow," Jack said getting up and walking over to the desk to fiddle with the papers on top.

"You have no idea what it's like being cooped up in this house all day. It's beginning to drive me crazy!" Carly stood up and walked out of the room toward the kitchen.

"Carly… wait," Jack called after her.

"Why? What's the point?" she called back to him as she continued in the direction she was headed. She opened up the cupboard and pulled out a glass and filled it up with water and gulped it all down. She slammed the glass down on the counter a little too hard and it cracked.

"Great! Just great," she yelled and proceeded to toss the glass into the garbage as Jack came up behind her. He put his hands on her waist and spun her around.

"Don't even think about telling me that I'm overreacting," she threatened him.

"Would I do that?" he asked innocently.

"Yes you would!"

"Maybe I would if it were true," he said softly looking intently at her. "But you're not."

It was what she had needed to hear. Confirmation that her reaction was justified and that it wasn't just her feeling frustrated with the whole situation. She let out a deep breath and laid her head on his shoulder. He rubbed her back and hugged her close. He felt her relax against him and he knew the worst was over. He kissed the top of her head before he spoke.

"I have an idea. How about we have dinner… just the two of us, Friday night? We can leave Michael here with Rosanna and Daryl for a couple of hours and we can go anywhere you want."

"You mean it? Just us… by ourselves?" she asked lifting her head to look at him.

"Absolutely," he smiled. "So what do you say… will you go out on a date with me?"

"Oh Jack!" she exclaimed throwing her arms around his neck and hugging him. "Yes, yes, yes! That sounds wonderful."

"I know this has been hard on you and I'm sorry."

"I understand why all this is necessary," she said indicating to everything around them. "I'm just getting sick of it. I want our life back."

"And we'll get it back. I promise you that," he said kissing the tip of her nose. "Now… I'm going to go change my clothes and then you can show me the designs you've been working on."

"Ok," she smiled back.

Jack turned and headed for the stairs but Carly caught him just before. "Hey Jack - thank you," she said softly.

"You're welcome," he smiled.

_Somewhere on the outskirts of town…_

Julia ransacked the small cabin looking for where she'd put it. She had stashed it away in case of these very circumstances. She'd used the device with varying success. She hadn't gotten as much information out it as she had hoped to but now that things had changed, she prayed things were different. She finally found the item she'd been looking for. She had placed a small listening device into the backpack of Jack's daughter a while back. She had kept the receiver hidden away in this cabin in case someone discovered the motel she had been staying at. Jack had done just that and she was glad to have been over cautious in her previous planning. She held it tightly in her hand hoping that she would be able to learn some new information that would be useful in helping her complete her agenda: Getting Jack.

Julia had spent the last few weeks avoiding being caught. There had been several times when she'd had a close call. She'd taken to staying in the woods since it was becoming harder and harder to make her way around town. She had cut her hair at the first opportunity and had ditched the old couple's car in the river. The very same one she had attempted to drown Jack in all those years ago. This time, however, things would be different. This time he wouldn't escape.

She sat down on the cot in the corner of the one room cabin and turned the receiver on hoping that the listening device she'd placed in the girl's backpack was still there. She held her breath and waited. At first she heard nothing and then, a voice…

"Sage! Wait up," a young girl's voice called out.

"Hey Jenny, hey Angela," Sage replied.

"Can you come to the mall with us?" one of the girls asked.

"No, I can't today. I'm going to meet up with my cousin Natalie. We're going to go horseback riding over at my Aunt Emma's," Sage explained.

"Are you sure? Cause we heard that Tyler Kensington is going to be there after school today," one of the girls nearly squealed.

"Why would I care if Tyler is going to the mall?" Sage asked sounding very uninterested.

"Well, Amy told us that she overheard him talking to one of his friends at lunch today. He said that he thought you were pretty cute."

"Really?" Sage asked curiously.

"He is so hot!" one of the other girls said.

"I wish he thought I was cute," the other added.

"Sorry I already have plans. Maybe next time," Sage said. "Call me later though and let me know what happens."

"Ok. See you later," the girls said in unison.

For a short time after that all Julia could hear was the sound of the young girl walking and the other noises filtering around her. It wasn't too long until another voice could be heard.

"Sage!"

"Hi Nat. Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah. First let me put my coat in my backpack and then we can start walking," the other young girl said.

"Is your Dad going to be there to help us with the horses?" Sage asked as they began walking.

"Not right away. He said he had to take Faith out driving once more before her driving test. She failed the first time, remember?" Natalie laughed.

"Yeah, I remember. She was in a reeeeally bad mood for like a week after that," Sage snickered.

"Even Parker couldn't cheer her up," Natalie said.

"Ick. I don't want to talk about your sister and my brother," Sage said sounding disgusted.

Natalie laughed. "Ok. My dad said we could help feed the other horses and maybe see if my grandma needs help with anything while we wait for him to get home."

"Maybe Aunt Emma will need help making cookies or something like that," Sage said sounding hopeful.

"I'd rather just eat them," Natalie said matter-of-factly.

"I'll race ya," Sage challenged.

Julia could tell by the muffled sounds that the girls were indeed racing toward the farm. A plan started forming in her mind. This might be her best chance of getting to Jack. She stood up and paced the floor of the tiny cabin. She had to find a way to get out to the farm without being noticed. Perhaps if she made her way on foot, she'd be able to stay hidden. She'd spent a lot of time out there at one point in her life. As far as she knew, not much had changed over the years. The property was large enough that she shouldn't have any troubles getting there without anyone being the wiser. She grabbed her bag and dashed out the door. If she hurried, she might beat the girls there.

_A short time later, at Emma's Farm…_

Sage and Natalie ran down the dirt road that led up to the farm they both knew so well. The chickens were out in the yard and Emma was out there with them, a feed bucket in her hand. She scattered their food across the ground and raised her hand and waved to the girls as they ran down the road toward her.

"Hello my beauties," she called cheerfully. Both girls ran up and gave her a big hug. "How was school today?" she asked them.

"Good," Sage said. "I got my end of the year test back in math and I got a B+," she said proudly.

"Good for you! I think that deserves a cookie or two," she said walking back toward the house. "And how about you, Natalie? How was your day?"

"It was good but I can't wait for summer vacation to start," she said. "Does that get me a cookie?" she said, blinking innocent eyes up at her grandma. "Boy oh boy, do you ever remind me of your Aunt Meg," Emma chuckled. "Your daddy better keep an eye on you. And yes, you can have a cookie too," she said kissing the top of her head.

The three of them headed into the house. Emma washed her hands and then got each of the girls a plate of cookies and a glass of milk. She sat down at the table with them. "So you two are going horseback riding?"

"Yup," they said as they continued to nibble at their cookies.

Emma looked at Natalie. "You know your Dad is helping Faith at the moment, but he should be back soon. I need to run to the post office before it closes. Are you two going to be ok here by yourselves?" Emma asked.

"We'll be fine," Sage said as she finished her glass of milk. "Did you need us to help with anything?"

"That is very thoughtful," Emma smiled at her.

"My dad told us to ask," Natalie informed her, not wanting Sage to get credit for anything undeserved.

"Still, it was nice to ask. And yes, you can help me out. You can both take a bowl outside and pick the tomatoes for me," she said getting up and grabbing the package sitting on the kitchen counter. "You two behave and I'll be back shortly. If you're done with the tomatoes before I get back you both can have another cookie," she said smiling as she left the house.

The girls finished their cookies and milk and Sage grabbed a bowl from the cupboard to take out to the garden. "You ready to go?" she asked Natalie.

"I'll be there in a minute. I'm going to run up to the bathroom first. I'll meet you out there," she said heading upstairs.

"Alright," Sage said turning and heading outside. She walked into the garden and found the tomato plants full of ripe, red tomatoes. Sage couldn't help herself; she picked one and popped it in her mouth. Tomatoes warmed by the sun were delicious. She set the bowl on the ground and went to work.

Not too far away, under cover of the trees was Julia. She stood their watching the young girl for a moment. She recognized her from the photo she'd seen before in Jack and Carly's house. She was out there all alone. Julia knew that only the girls were here. She'd seen Emma get in her truck and leave. Now was her chance.

Julia walked out from the trees and made her way over to Sage. Before she got there, Sage had noticed her arrival. She immediately stopped what she was doing and watched the unknown woman approach her.

"Hello," Julia called out pleasantly.

Sage didn't know this woman but something about her seemed off.

Julia wasn't sure how much information Jack had told his kids about her. She suspected nothing and hoped she was right. She took a chance. "My name is Julia. I'm a friend of your Aunt Emma's. Is she around?" she asked politely.

Sage thought for a moment about how to answer that question. Julia could see the young girl was trying to decide what to say.

"She had to run an errand," Sage said truthfully. She watched the strange woman's reaction in order to try and figure her out. Sage felt uneasy and decided to send a warning. "But my dad's inside. I'll go get him," she said leaning over to pick up the bowl of tomatoes. In that brief moment, she didn't see the flicker of rage tear across Julia's face.

As Sage straightened up, she noticed immediately that this woman had closed the distance between them and was now standing between her and the house. Sage reflexively took a step back.

"I know your dad isn't here Sage," Julia said coldly, all the pleasantness gone from her voice.

"How do you know my name?" Sage asked concerned.

"Like I said, I'm an old friend of your Aunt Emma's… and I'm also an old friend of your dad's," she smiled, though it didn't reach her eyes.

"What do you want?" Sage asked quietly.

"You know, you're just like your dad. He's all about getting down to business," she said shaking her head. "I need to see your dad. Do you think you could call him for me?"

"Sure," she nodded nervously. "We can use the phone in the house," she said trying to quickly get around the woman. She was going to attempt to make a run for it…

Julia anticipated that, however. "No, no we can call him from my place," she said grabbing her by the arm tightly and yanking her back.

"Let go of me," Sage yelled struggling to get away. She kicked Julia in the leg a couple of times until she lost her grip on Sage's arm. Sage took off running toward the house as fast as she could but Julia was quicker. She caught up with Sage and knocked her to the ground. Julia stood above her. She reached down and grabbed the girl and yanked her up. Sage opened her mouth to scream out for help but Julia anticipated that and slapped her across the face.

"Shut up!" she yelled at her. "You say one word and you'll never see your parents again," she threatened her.

Sage covered her cheek with one of her hands and glared at Julia.

"That's better. We're going to do this my way. I have no interest in you other than what you can do for me," she said coldly pulling her back in the direction toward the woods where she'd come from. "Like I told you, I want to see your dad. You and I are going to go and wait for him."

Sage walked alongside Julia seething. She was mad at herself for getting caught. She didn't know exactly who this woman was but she had an inkling that she was the one who had kidnapped her mom. Sage began to worry. How was she going to keep her dad safe? She knew that he would do anything in order to protect her and she had gone and gotten herself caught. Whatever this woman wanted her to do, she would refuse. She would not allow this crazy woman to hurt her dad.

Natalie came downstairs and headed outside to meet up with Sage. She hoped that Sage had finished picking the tomatoes so that they could have another cookie. Natalie opened the screen door of the covered porch and looked out into the garden for Sage. She didn't see her but did see the bowl of tomatoes spilled on the ground.

"Sage?" Natalie called out toward the barn. Maybe Sage had gone into the barn to look at the horses. She turned giving the yard a look around and noticed two figures near the tree line across the way. One of them was definitely Sage but Natalie had no idea who the other person was.

"Sage!" she called out again hoping that they could hear her but they disappeared into the trees.


	54. Chapter 54

**Chapter Fifty-four**

JJ came downstairs to get something to drink. He'd been up on the computer emailing a friend from school. Since he had finished up the year early he found himself home without his brother and sister. Parker and Sage both had another week left of school and they hadn't come home yet for the day. He walked down the stairs and glanced into the living room as he past. He paused for a moment when he saw his parents sitting on the sofa together. Their backs were to him, so they couldn't see him standing in the doorway. He stood there for awhile, just watching them.

His dad leaned in and spoke softly to his mom, who in turn tossed her head back with a laugh. His dad grinned back at her as they shared a private moment. He smiled at the scene. He had wanted this for them; for their family for so long. Finally all the prayers and wishes had come true. His parents were back together where they belonged. He never understood how they had continued to lie to themselves about what they really felt and really wanted. It had been completely obvious to everyone around them… even those who had foolishly tried to convince themselves otherwise knew what he, Parker and Sage had known all along: Their parents were meant to be together. Sure, he knew most kids whose parents were divorced felt that way. But in this case, it was more than that. More than just wishful thinking. It was as if when they were trying to live separate lives, they ended up only living half a life. Thankfully they had finally realized that they couldn't live without each other and made everything right again.

Perhaps it was his cops' natural instinct kicking in, but for whatever reason, Jack had the feeling that they were being watched and turned to see JJ looking at them from the hallway. Jack shifted on the sofa and smiled at him.

"Why are you lurking in the doorway?"

"I was just coming down to get something to drink," he smiled back sheepishly as being caught.

Carly turned to look back at him. "Did you need to talk to us about something?"

"No," he said truthfully.

"Come on over here," Carly said patting the sofa on the other side of her. JJ walked over and sat down.

"Is anything bothering you? Because you can talk to us about anything. I hope you know that," she said searching his face.

"Nothing's wrong, mom. Honest. It's the complete opposite, actually. Everything is finally the way it should be."

"Oh," Carly said finally realizing what this was all about.

Jack laughed softly as he reached out and grabbed hold of Carly's hand giving it a squeeze. "It took us awhile, but we finally figured it out. Or should I say that _I_ finally figured it out," he said giving Carly a quick peck on the cheek.

"No, it wasn't just you," she smiled as she leaned against him.

"Well whatever happened - I'm just glad it finally did. It took you long enough. If you'd just listened to us in the first place," JJ teased.

"Oh it's going to be like that now, is it?" Jack said in mock anger as he reached across Carly to tussle JJ's hair.

"Now, now boys." Carly held up her hands. "I am not sitting in the middle of this," she laughed as she attempted to stand up.

"Where do you think you're going?" Jack asked, turning his attention back to her. He wrapped his arms around her waist and made sure she couldn't get up.

"I'll leave you guys alone," JJ smiled as he got up and headed toward the kitchen once more.

Jack and Carly found themselves alone again.

"Let's see... it's just you and me again… no baby… no sister… no kids. He looked around to make sure JJ was indeed gone. What shall we do to pass the time?" asked Jack suggestively in a low sexy voice.

"Hmmmm," Carly sighed softly. "I'm sure I could come up with a few things," she smiled back at him.

"Do any of your ideas have something to do with this?" he asked huskily as he leaned in and kissed the side of her neck. Carly shivered. "Or perhaps this?" he asked again, kissing the other side of her neck. His breath was hot against her skin.

"Ummm," Carly began as she licked her lips. All coherent thought left her.

"Maybe you had a little of this in mind," he mumbled against her lips before claiming them. He kissed her hungrily. He threaded his fingers through her hair and the back of her neck with one hand, while the other one cupped the side of her face. Unfortunately, they once again found themselves interrupted.

Jack's phone rang. He groaned his disappointment as he slowly broke the kiss. He pulled the phone out of his pocket and reluctantly answered it.

"Snyder… Hey Daryl," he said looking apologetically at Carly as he stood up to take the call in the other room.

Jack had been doing that a lot lately and it did nothing but cause Carly anxiety about the whole Julia thing. She knew he did it in order to make sure she didn't hear something before he wanted her to. It was irritating to say the least. She knew he did it out of concern for her, not wanting to cause her stress. However, she hated being kept in the dark and he knew it. Carly sat patiently on the sofa and waited for him to return.

"Sorry about that Carly, but Daryl needs me to come down to the station to look over some new information," he said coming over to her so he could kiss her cheek.

"About Julia?" Carly asked hopeful. "Did you get a new lead?"

"Nothing like that," he said vaguely. "I'll talk to you about it later," he smiled. That was his way of avoiding the subject. Carly knew the routine all too well at this point. "I won't be too late."

"Will you and Daryl be home for dinner?" she asked annoyed by tactics.

Jack could tell she was upset by the tone of her voice. "Carly, don't go and get yourself worked up."

"How can I not when you are constantly trying to avoid discussing what's going on with the search for Julia," she said putting her hands on her hips.

"I promise I'll talk to you about it tonight," he said trying to placate her.

"You won't," she accused him. "I'll try and talk about it and ask you questions but then you'll change the subject, give me vague answers or try and distract me," she said accusingly.

Jack laughed. "I don't know what your referring to," he said wrapping his arms around her and giving her a hug. He rubbed her back softly as he let his hands meander their way to her hips. He looked down into her bright blue eyes. He deliberately rubbed his hips against hers creating a delicious friction that both their bodies immediately responded to. Carly's breath caught in her throat as she returned his heated gaze.

"This is exactly what I was talking about," she scolded him. Her voice was low and husky though and Jack knew that the slight touch had had an effect on her.

"I can't help it. When I'm near you, it's hard to think about anything else. The last thing I want to do is talk," he grinned wickedly.

"Carly?" Rosanna's voice rang out from the hall, interrupting them.

"We'll finish this later," Carly informed him.

"Sounds good to me," he winked as he kissed the tip of her nose. "I'll be home soon," he said turning and heading towards the front door. "Hey Rosanna," he said to her as he passed by.

"Oh! Hi Jack," Rosanna said startled as she entered the room, nearly bumping into him. "I didn't know you were home."

"Actually I'm not now. I'm on my way to the station to meet up with Daryl," he explained. "See you ladies later." Jack made his way to the front door as JJ came walking past with a soda in hand.

"Hey buddy, do you think you could go over to the farm in about a half-hour and pick up your sister for me? Holden is taking her and Natalie horseback riding today and I was supposed to go and get her, but I have to run to the station for a little bit."

"Sure. I can do that," JJ said.

"Thanks. I really appreciate it. I'll see you tonight," Jack said with a smile and headed out the door to his car.

_Meanwhile, over at the farm…_

"Natalie! Sage!" Holden called out as he entered the house. He had expected the girls to be in the barn waiting for him when he arrived but they hadn't been. He glanced around the yard as he headed towards the house but didn't see them anywhere. He was about to head upstairs when Natalie came into the kitchen from the living room.

"Hey honey. I was wondering where you were. Are you guys ready to go riding?" Holden asked.

"I am. But Sage left," Natalie told him.

"What do you mean? Where did she go?" Holden asked confused.

"I don't know. I was upstairs and she was in the garden picking tomatoes. When I came outside to help her, she was across the field by the woods. She was with someone, but I couldn't see who it was."

"Where did she go?"

"I don't know. She and the other person just walked off into the woods," Natalie explained.

"Was it a friend from school?"

"I don't think so."

"And she just left without saying anything to you?" asked Holden, a bit concerned.

"I tried calling out to her, but she I don't think she heard me. I would have told Grandma, but she had to run to the post office. I called and left you a message," she said.

"I didn't hear my phone ring," Holden said pulling it out of his pocket and looking down at it. It showed he'd missed a call. "Damn it! I swear I didn't hear your call," he said frustrated. "She wasn't supposed to leave. Jack said he'd be by to pick her up later this afternoon," Holden mumbled to himself. He glanced around the room as he thought and noticed that Sage's backpack was still on the back of one of the kitchen chairs. He had a bad feeling about this. It was at this moment that Emma walked in the door.

"Are you finished riding already?" Emma asked with a big smile. "I wasn't gone that long. You must have showed up right after I left," she said to Holden as she set her purse down on the counter. She looked up at him and noticed the look on his face. Something was wrong.

"What's the matter?" she asked as the smile left her face.

"Sage is gone. Apparently she left with someone," Holden told her.

"Who?"

"Natalie said she didn't know and couldn't really see who it was. They took off on foot through the woods though. I'm going to call Jack and let him know. He's not going to be happy about this," Holden said. He knew Jack was going to blow a gasket when he found out. Holden dreaded making the call. He stepped out to the covered porch for a little more privacy and dialed his cousin.

"_You've reached Jack Snyder. I can't take your call right now but leave a message and I'll call you back."_

"Jack. It's Holden. I don't want you to worry but I think there might be a problem. Sage and Natalie showed up here at the farm to go riding. I was running a little late. Sage was out in the garden and apparently left with someone. Natalie had been in the house and saw her leave through the woods. I don't know if it was a school friend or not but I think you might want to come over. I'm going to go and see if I can find her. Call me." Holden hung up and let out a heavy sigh. Should he call Carly? She was Sage's mother after all. However, Holden knew his cousin. He knew Jack would not be happy if he upset Carly without needing to. If Sage was just with a friend and Holden caused stress to Carly, Jack would be really upset. On the other hand, if something was really wrong and he didn't let Carly know, she would be furious. Now all he had to do was decide whose anger he'd rather deal with…

_At the station…_

Jack walked into the station and spotted Daryl immediately. He was coming down the stairs with a handful of papers in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other. Jack smiled. Daryl was never without his caffeine fix.

"Hey! You got some new information," Jack said coming up to him.

"Yes. Why don't we go in here," Daryl said indicating to the interrogation room. They walked in and Daryl closed the door behind them. Daryl handed the reports to Jack and waited for him to look them over before he said anything.

"When did you get this?" Jack asked looking up from the paperwork.

"Just a little bit ago. It really was a fantastic coincidence. There is this convenience store near the end of town that has had some problems with selling alcohol to minors. We got a court order to get copies of their security video in order to build a case and one of the officers going over the footage recognized the woman on one of the videos. The footage isn't the greatest, but even still, it looks like her," Daryl said.

Jack looked back down at the still image taken from the video. Her hair was short and she'd colored it again so now it was more her natural color. It was her. Of that Jack was certain.

"You said that the place this was taken was on the edge of town. What was the name of it?"

"Let's see," Daryl said looking back through the notes. "Here it is. Max's Mini Mart." Jack's face went white. "What's the matter?" Daryl asked.

"That place is out near Luther's Corner." Daryl looked at him not understanding what that meant. Jack knew that he wasn't completely familiar with the layout of Oakdale and the surrounding areas. Jack took a deep breath. "Luther's Corner is near my Aunt Emma's farm. Sage is over there today."

"Sorry Jack. I didn't realize," Daryl apologized.

"When was this video from?" he asked looking back down at the photo.

"A few days ago. Like I said, it was a major coincidence that we came across it like we did. I'm glad we have people paying attention."

"I want extra patrols set up over there. I didn't think she'd risk it, but I'm not surprised that Julia made her way back there. She always had a soft spot for Emma and the farm." Jack took out his phone and arranged the extra patrol coverage. Unfortunately, this latest information had him distracted and he didn't notice the incoming call from Holden.

_Across town at Lily's…_

Rosanna and Carly were upstairs in Carly's room on the bed. Michael had just woken up. Carly had just finished changing him and he was contently nursing as Rosanna went over the latest design plans with Carly.

"You know this would go so much more smoothly if Jack would just ease up a bit and let me out of the house," Carly said shaking her head.

"He's worried about you. I can't say as I blame him," Rosanna said trying to soother her sister.

"Easy for you to say. You're not the one trapped in this house. The only time I've left is to go to the doctor for Michael's checkups," she said looking down at her son. He had one of his tiny fists wrapped tightly around her finger. "And if Jack had his way, he would have arranged to have the doctor make house calls," she said rolling her eyes at her sister.

Rosanna laughed. That wasn't too far of a stretch. Jack did, at times, have a habit of being a bit over-protective. "Well hopefully it won't be for too much longer," she replied.

"Really?" Carly said enthusiastically. "Did Daryl say something?" she asked.

"No, he doesn't talk to me about that. I'm pretty sure he thinks I'd tell you or you'd worm it out of me. Either way, he hasn't said a word. I was just thinking that they have to find some sort of clue as to where she is and what she's up to."

"Don't be so sure," Carly said disappointedly. "Julia stayed away for years and years without a peep. If she wants to go into hiding, I doubt they'd ever find her unless she wants them to."

"Come on Carly. This is Jack we're talking about. If Julia is out there, he will find her. You know he'll stop at nothing to protect his family."

"I know. I just wish I knew what exactly that entailed." She sat back on the bed and let her head rest against the headboard. "So Daryl really hasn't said anything," Carly said, the disappointment evident in her voice.

"No he hasn't," Rosanna said sympathetically.

"I don't know why I thought he would. I'm sure Jack has given him very strict instructions not to say a word to you." Carly thought for a moment. Rosanna knew her sister well enough to know she was trying to come up with another way to get some information on the case.

"Perhaps you could talk to Margo," Rosanna suggested trying her best to help.

"Are you kidding? Margo would never talk to me behind Jack's back. She's never been a fan of mine," Carly explained.

"Maybe if you remind her that you're both mothers and you're just looking out for your family."

"No. That won't work. Besides, I'm pretty sure Jack's put a gag order on everyone at the station not to breathe a word of anything to me." Michael finished nursing and Carly laid him on the bed while she adjusted her shirt.

"Unfortunately I don't think there's anyway to get the information you are looking for," Rosanna said in a sing-song voice as she cooed over Michael. A soft knock at the door interrupted their conversation.

"Come in," Carly called.

"Hey mom," JJ said as he entered the room. "I'm going to head over and get Sage at the farm," he told her as he walked over to the bed and sat down near the baby.

"I thought your dad was going to pick her up?" Carly asked him.

"Dad asked me to do that for him before he left for the station," he told her as he smiled down at his little brother. He reached out and let Michael grab hold of one of his fingers with his tiny hand.

"Alright then. Come straight home, ok?"

"We will," he smiled as he looked up at her. "Bye Michael," he said softly to the baby.

"Love you honey," she told him as he left the room.

"He's so sweet," Rosanna said to her before turning her attention back to the little one on the bed.

"Yes, he is. I'm so glad he's home." Carly was ready to get back to discussing what to do about Julia's case but stopped for a moment as she observed the scene on the bed.

Carly watched Rosanna interact with Michael and she felt a pang of sadness. She remembered back many years ago when she watched Rosanna with her own son. Cabot had been the best thing that had ever happened to her. That is until the tragic truth came out about Craig's illegal adoption. Having to watch Rosanna give up Cabot was a horrible thing to witness. Just thinking about it now was making Carly feel angry all over again. But it also got her thinking about a way to find out information directly from the source. Say what you will about Craig, but he had a talent for squeezing information out of people. It was probably done mostly to get him to go away and leave them alone. Regardless, he was usually fairly successful and Carly was desperate.

"I think I know a way to find out what's going on with the Julia case."

Rosanna had been completely focused on Michael, but she stopped suddenly and looked at her sister. "How?"

"Well… what if we had someone, no one would suspect, helping us out?" she proposed.

"You mean like a diversion so we can sneak in and look through files?"

"No, no, no," Carly said waving her hands. "Much simpler than that. We won't have to do a thing. We'll have someone else do the dirty work and report back to us," she smiled. "That way Jack can't technically get mad at us. Or more specifically me."

"Carly… you know he's going to be mad regardless of the technicality," Rosanna laughed.

"Probably. But this way at least I'll know what's going on. This being kept in the dark nonsense is driving me insane."

"Maybe there isn't anything to report," Rosanna offered. Carly was already with a response but Rosanna kept going. "I mean it. Maybe he's not telling you anything because there isn't anything to tell."

"Why does he leave the room then every time he gets a phone call? No, he knows more than he's saying. I really think my idea might work."

"So who do you have in mind to help you out with this little task?" Rosanna asked turning her attention back to Michael.

Carly took a moment before answering. "I was thinking about calling Craig."

Rosanna turned and stared at her sister. "You're not serious?" she asked but Rosanna could tell by her face that she was.

"I know what you're going to say," Carly began.

"I don't think that's possible since I don't even know what to say to that."

"If you think about it, it really does make sense. Craig can go down and talk to Margo. He has a way of getting information out of her without having to do too much."

"Won't that look a bit suspicious…? Craig asking Margo about Julia?"

"Not if we play it right," she said tentatively. Rosanna could tell she was withholding something.

"Why do I get the feeling I'm not going to like part of this plan?"

"I don't think Craig will do this if it's me asking him," she hesitated slightly as she waited to gauge Rosanna's reaction.

Rosanna tilted her head to the side and looked at her sister as the realization hit her. "You want me to ask him?"

"I think he'd be much more willing to help you out than he would me."

"I don't know about that. Still, I think it will seem odd that Craig's asking about Julia."

"It won't if he says he's concerned about you since you're staying with us.

"I don't know Carly," Rosanna said shaking her head.

"Would you at least think about it?" Carly pleaded.

"I'll think about it, but I'm not promising anything." Rosanna gave her a weak smile.

"That's all I ask," she smiled in return.

_Meanwhile, somewhere not too far away…_

Sage sat on the small cot in the center of the small one-room cabin. The place had a funny smell. It reminded Sage of Emma's attic. She and all the other Snyder kids had spent many rainy afternoons playing up in that attic. There was so much stuff to discover. Clothes, old photos, books, toys and anything else you could imagine. She loved playing up there. She did not love this cabin.

Sage watched the woman who had claimed to be a family friend pace the room. She was mumbling to herself and it was creeping Sage out. She knew there was something seriously wrong with her. Sage took a peek around the place hoping to find some sort of an escape. Unfortunately the place only had one door and one window. The window was dirty and didn't look like it would even open. The door would be the best option; however this woman was pacing between her and it. Perhaps if she could distract her she'd be able to get away.

Julia stopped suddenly and said something to herself and turned to look at the young girl on the cot. She noticed her eyes darting around the room and decided to make sure she didn't get any ideas. "Don't even think about trying to get out of here," she snarled at her.

Sage looked up at her with a startled expression. She hadn't realized she'd been caught. She kept her mouth shut.

"Do you have a phone with you?" she asked Sage.

Sage sat mutely on the bed. She wasn't about to readily help this crazy woman out.

Julia bent over and grabbed Sage by both arms and shook her as she yelled at her. "I said... do you have a phone?"

"No. It's in my backpack!" she cried back at her.

"That's better," Julia snapped. "Next time I ask you a question, you'd better answer the first time." She glared down at her as she stood up. "Now let's give your dad a call, shall we?"

Julia pulled out a phone from her pocket and dialed the number to the Oakdale Police Department. She could feel a rush of adrenaline at the thought of hearing his voice. Her palms felt sweaty and her heart was racing. She took a calming breath as she waited for them to answer.

"Oakdale PD. How can I direct your call?"

"I need to speak with Detective Jack Snyder," she answered calmly.

"I can patch you through to his voice mail," the voice answered.

"Actually, I need to speak to him directly," she said with a slight waver in her voice. "It's about the Julia Lindsay-Snyder case." She made sure to tie his name to hers. "I was told to ask for him specifically."

"One moment please. Let me see if he's available."

Julia was left on hold for a brief moment and then she heard his voice…

"This is Detective Snyder."

Julia absorbed the sound of it and was quiet for a moment.

"Hello? Are you there?" he asked.

"I'm here Jack," she said calmly.

Every hair on the back of Jack's neck stood on end. The color drained from his face and Daryl looked at him in confusion. Jack collected himself and simply replied, "Julia."

Daryl immediately left the interrogation room and set about to try and trace the call.

Julia smiled. "Yes Jack it's me. How have you been?"

"What do you want Julia. I don't think this is a social call."

"I was calling to check up on the family. How is everyone?"

Panic raced through Jack. Something was wrong. He could feel it. She couldn't have gotten to Carly or the baby! Could she? Jack had to maintain his composure when talking to her. He couldn't play into her games and let her have the upper hand.

"Did I hit a nerve?" she asked smugly.

"Are you still hanging around Luther's Corner?" Jack asked trying to throw her off balance. It worked.

"How did you know I was…" she began but stopped herself with a little chuckle. "Enough about all that. I was wondering if we could meet up somewhere."

"You want to turn yourself in?" he asked hopeful.

"No, no. I was thinking about just you and I. I think we have some unfinished business."

"Where did you want to meet?"

"Now, now. Before you start making arrangements to have other people attend, I want to make it clear that this is to be a private party. Just the two of us, understand?"

"Sure. Whatever you say."

"I'm serious Jack. And to prove it, I have a little surprise for you," she said sweetly.

Jack's stomach tightened in knots. Julia's surprises were never good. "What have you done, Julia?"

Julia held the phone to Sage and gestured for her to say something. Sage glared at her and clamped her mouth shut. She refused to help this woman.

Julia's eyes flashed with rage and she grabbed hold of Sage's hair and yanked back hard causing her to cry out. "Owww, stop it!" she yelled.

Fear tore through Jack at hearing his daughter's voice. "Sage!" Jack yelled over the phone. "Honey? Answer me! Are you alright?"

"She'll be just fine Jack if you do what I say," Julia answered getting back on the phone.

"I swear to God Julia, I'm going to…" Jack began gripping the phone tightly.

"Enough threats Jack! I'm calling the shots. You do what I say and you will see your daughter again. If you don't… well, I won't go into all the gory details but it won't be pretty."

Jack closed his eyes and covered his mouth. He was going to be sick. The thought of his baby girl at the mercy of Julia…

"That's better. You wait by the phone and I'll call you back with a time and location. Then we can meet up and finally settle all this."

"If you hurt my daughter in any way Julia… I will kill you," Jack said as calmly as he could.

"Oh Jack," she laughed. "Not if I kill you first," she smiled and hung up the phone.


	55. Chapter 55

**Chapter Fifty-five**

Her maniacal laughter was the last thing Jack heard as the phone on the other end went dead. Jack didn't need to turn around to know Daryl was standing right behind him.

"Tell me you got a trace on that call," he said calmly still holding the phone receiver in his hand. Years of training helped his voice remain steady despite the terror and anger swirling inside him like a savage tornado. Daryl's silence was answer enough.

"Fine," Jack growled slamming the phone down. He pulled his gun out of its holster and checked to make it was fully loaded before heading towards the door.

"Jack! Where are you going?" Daryl called after him.

Jack kept right on walking toward the exit.

"You don't know where she is," he said trying to calm him down and get him to start thinking instead of just reacting.

"That's why I'm going to go and find her," Jack yelled back to him when he reached the door.

"If you're not here when she calls back she could hurt Sage."

"She could hurt her anyway!" Jack shouted. Daryl's words had done their job though. Jack had stopped at the entrance to the police station. He stood there a moment allowing the situation to fully sink in. Jack hung his head and closed his eyes in defeat.

By this time they had drawn a crowd. Looking around the lobby of the station, Daryl decided the best thing for his friend right now was to get him out of view so he could deal with this in private.

"Let's wait for her to call back in here," Daryl said turning and walking back into the interrogation room.

Jack followed him, keeping his head down. Daryl closed the door behind them and waited. Jack leaned over the table and allowed the emotions that had been simmering just below the surface to come bursting out. He picked up the desk and overturned it dumping the phone, paperwork and everything else onto the floor. Jack grabbed one of the chairs, picked it up and threw it against the wall opposite him. Daryl kept out of the way and allowed Jack to let the anger out. He may not have any children of his own, regardless; he understood and could empathize with Jack.

Jack paced the room. So many thoughts tearing through his mind. He stopped suddenly and gripped his head with both hands. He couldn't breathe. The air kept getting stuck in his throat at he tried to swallow. He felt sick to his stomach. Each thought in his mind worse than the one before. Then the anger would surge through him once again. It was one vicious circle. It was at this point a new thought hit him and hit him hard: Carly. How in the world was he supposed to be able to tell her what had happened? What could he possible say? How could he even face her? He'd let her down again. Guilt replaced the rage as Jack sunk into the only chair still standing upright.

Sensing that the worst was over, Daryl went to work setting the place to right. Once finished, he took a seat across the table from Jack. He needed to help Jack put the emotional stuff aside so that they could focus and figure out how to get Sage and bring Julia to justice once and for all.

"How did you want to handle this?" Daryl asked softly breaking the silence.

Jack couldn't even begin to think about that yet. "How am I supposed to explain all this to Carly?" he said shaking his head. "How am I supposed to tell her that our daughter… _our daughter_… is in the hands of that lunatic? I've let her down again. I swore to protect our family and I let her down again," Jack said defeated. He covered his face in his hands. "How will she ever forgive me?" he said out lout to himself. His voice was muffled from talking into his hands.

"Carly won't blame you Jack," Daryl told him.

"How could she not? I promised her."

"She's going to know it's not your fault. She knows Julia is the one that's done all these horrible things," he said trying to reason with Jack.

"But I'm the reason she's in our lives to begin with. Me! No one else. God, if anything happens to Sage…," Jack trailed off.

"Nothing is going to happen to her!" Daryl said adamantly. "Enough Jack. We need to focus and come up with a plan now before Julia calls back."

Jack looked up into Daryl's face and nodded. He felt numb but he knew that allowing the guilt to take over wouldn't do Sage any good. He needed to find his little girl and bring her home safely to her mother.

_Meanwhile, over at the farm…_

JJ arrived at the farm and expected to find Sage and Natalie in the barn with the horses. The barn was quiet, however, and so JJ headed toward the house. He was sure he'd find the girls at the table with Aunt Emma. A plate full, or most likely nearly empty, of freshly baked cookies on the table between them. Instead a silent kitchen greeted him. Something wasn't right. The farm was never this quiet. JJ headed into the living room.

"Sage? Aunt Emma?" he shouted out to the silence. No response. Perhaps everyone was upstairs. In the back of his mind he knew that wouldn't be the case but a part of him still held out hope. He ran up the stairs calling for Sage once again.

Meanwhile back down in the kitchen, Holden rushed back inside hoping to find that Sage had returned.

"Sage! Are you here?" he called out.

"Is she here?" came Natalie's voice as she entered the house after her dad. Emma followed, not far behind. They'd come from searching the woods.

"Sage!" Holden shouted again, but no answer. JJ, however, had heard the call from upstairs and hurried down.

"Where's Sage?" he asked coming into the kitchen and startling everyone.

"What are you doing here?" Holden asked harshly, upset over being spooked by JJ's sudden appearance.

"Dad asked me to pick up Sage for him," JJ glared at Holden. "What's going on? Where's my sister?"

"She's gone," Natalie stated bluntly.

"Natalie!" Holden scolded.

"What do you mean she's gone?" JJ asked looking from Holden to Emma in confusion.

"Let's all take a deep breath," Emma said trying to calm everyone down.

"I'm going to call Jack again and then I'll head out on one of the horses to do another search," Holden said aloud but more to Emma than anyone else.

"I'm gonna call mom," JJ said reaching into his pocket for his phone.

"No!" Holden shouted. "Don't call Carly. We don't know all the details yet and we don't' want to get her upset."

"But she should know what's going on!" JJ shouted back.

"That's up to your dad," Holden told him. Holden saw JJ's eyes narrow and the gleam of a challenge sparkled within their depths. Holden decided to change tactics. "Just wait until I've spoken with your dad and then you can call her, alright?"

"Fine," JJ conceded as he flopped down into one of the kitchen chairs and rested his chin on his hand.

Holden stepped outside and Emma set about making Natalie and JJ something to drink. JJ continued to sit there and stew. He didn't like this one bit. He knew his mom wasn't supposed to be stressed out and that she needed to take it easy after everything that had happened. But he knew his mom. She handled disastrous events better than anyone he'd ever met. When he had been kidnapped and taken to Idaho, she'd been amazing. Or when Parker had been accused of murdering Sam. Once again, she'd done anything and everything she could to find out what really happened in order to help Parker. He knew now that Sage needed her, she'd be capable and ready to handle anything and everything. He knew he had to call her.

Emma brought Natalie and JJ each a glass of lemonade. She busied herself by wiping down the counters and straightening the shelves. Thinking that enough time had passed in order to make it seem plausible, JJ slowly got up out of his chair.

"Where are you going honey?" Emma asked.

"I'm going to the bathroom. I'm not feeling well," JJ said sliding a hand over his stomach for effect.

"Alright," Emma said sympathetically as he turned and headed toward the bathroom.

Natalie watched him leave. She quickly drank her lemonade and got up and brought her glass over to the sink.

"That was really good grandma," she said sweetly. "Can I go watch some TV?" she asked.

"Of course you can," Emma smiled, patting her on the cheek.

Natalie headed toward the living room. Once out of sight of the kitchen, she went in search of JJ. She found the bathroom door shut and reluctantly came to the conclusion that he had been telling the truth. But then she heard his voice and the one-sided conversation one had when talking on the phone. Listening, she could tell he was talking to his mother. She smiled to herself and headed into the living room to watch TV.

_Back at the station…_

Jack and Daryl sat in the Interrogation Room going over the details of their plans so far. Jack had already had a small wire attached to the buckle of his belt. It was small enough that it should go undetected by Julia. Having Jack fitted with a wire would allow him to meet up with Julia alone as requested and also allow him to disclose that location back to Daryl at the station. The time it would take for the backup to show up would be enough time for Jack to hopefully get Sage out of harms way before all hell would break loose. Jack was determined to end this once and for all. Jack's phone sat on the table next to them. It started vibrating and for a moment a wave of panic stuck in his throat before he realized that it was his cell phone ringing, not the station phone. He let out the breath he'd been holding. Then another wave of panic took hold. He shut his eyes as he tried to decide whether or not to answer it.

"Are you going to get that?" Daryl asked looking up at him from the paperwork in front of him.

"I don't know if I'm ready to explain things to Carly yet," Jack explained.

Daryl glanced over at the Caller ID. "It's not her. It's Holden," he told him.

Opening his eyes, he looked down at the phone and saw that it was indeed Holden calling and not Carly. He breathed a sigh of relief.

"Hey Holden. Now's not a good time," he began.

"Did you get my message?" Holden asked, cutting him off.

"What message?"

Holden sighed. "I guess that would be a no. I called earlier about Sage."

"I'm sorry Holden. I should've called to let you know that she wouldn't be there," Jack said feeling sick to his stomach all over again. He really didn't want to get into specifics with his cousin right now, though and opted to leave it at that.

"She did make it here," Holden interrupted.

"What? Is she still there?" Jack asked hoping that perhaps Julia didn't have Sage after all. That perhaps she was trying to make it seem like she had Sage in order to get to Jack.

"That's why I was calling. Apparently she took off on foot with someone."

Jack's heart sank. He knew who that someone was but felt the need to ask the question just the same. "Did you see who or which way they headed?"

"I wasn't here at the time, but Natalie saw her leave. I was going to head out again to see if I could find her."

"Don't," Jack said softly. "Julia has her."

"What? Julia has Sage? Are you sure?"

"Julia called me at the station. I heard Sage yell in the background. I'm waiting for her to call back."

"Oh Jack… I'm sorry. I had no clue Julia was back in town."

"You should take Natalie home and you and Emma should stay inside. I don't think she'd harm any of you. But then again, I didn't think she was capable of a lot of the things she's done," Jack said as the guilt rose up inside him once again.

"Does Carly know?" he asked Jack.

"No. I haven't told her yet. I'm waiting to talk to Julia first. I don't even know what I'm going to say to her…" Jack trailed off.

"There's something else you should know Jack."

"What?" Jack asked cautiously.

"JJ's here," he began slowly.

Jack groaned. He'd forgotten that he'd asked JJ to go and get Sage at the farm.

"Don't tell him anything. Send him home and tell him that I'm going to go and get her," Jack said hoping to shield JJ from the ugly truth. Besides, it was mostly true. He _was_ going to get Sage and he _was_ going to make sure she got home safely… no matter the cost.

"It's too late for that," Holden said trying to break the news to him gently. "He knows she's not here and she knows she took off with someone."

"Damn it," Jack said feeling more and more frustrated by this whole situation.

"He was here at the house when we got back from searching for her," Holden tried to explain.

"I know it's not your fault Holden. Go ahead and keep him there. I think Daryl and I will head over to the farm so we can see if we can find anything that might give us a clue as to where Julia has Sage."

"Alright. I'll see you shortly then," Holden paused a moment. He didn't want to add to Jack's problems but he knew he needed to say something.

"There's one more thing," he started.

Jack rolled his eyes heavenward. Of course there was. There always was. He took a deep breath to prepare himself for this newest revelation.

"JJ wants to call Carly."

_Meanwhile, over at Lily's…_

Carly and Rosanna were sitting downstairs at the dining table going over the latest floor plans for the reconstruction of their Milltown house. Carly was anxious to get this completed. She wanted to make sure the house was ready for them to move back into just as soon as the situation involving Julia was resolved.

Carly had wanted to maintain a lot of same features the house had before. Most of the downstairs survived the damage. It was mainly the second floor that was going to be completely new. After dealing with the heartache of nearly loosing the house, Carly was actually excited for this next phase. She'd made some major changes to the rooms upstairs. She'd given each of the children's room their own unique touches. She created a beautiful window seat complete with shelves on either side in Sage's room. To further add beauty to the room she'd decided to have the window be made of stained glass. Carly created the design herself. A picture of a cabin underneath a huge expanse of sky at sunset with sprigs of sage growing here and there. For Parker and JJ, she'd wanted to create rooms that would be able to grow with them over the next few years while they still lived at home. She decided to give each room a built in work space that would be fully equipped to handle all their technological needs as well as providing them plenty of work space. As for Michael's room, Carly decided that since he'd been conceived at Avalon Castle, that she'd go with a sort of whimsical theme of sorts. She'd chosen to have built in shelves and storage units for toys and clothes. On the one large wall in the room she'd have a mural painted of a castle with dragons and knights in soft, muted colors.

As for her and Jack's bedroom, she's spent a lot of thought on that. She wanted it to be a place where they could both retreat and block out the rest of the world, if only for a little bit at a time. She'd made sure to create a larger walk-in closet and allowed for shelves and storage space in there. A lot of thought was also put into the master bathroom. She'd made sure to include a shower seat and lots of massaging jets in the stand alone shower. The center piece for the bathroom, however, would be the large (big enough for two) claw foot tub. Carly had gone through many tubs until she'd found the perfect one. She'd decided to keep that little detail from Jack and surprise him once the house was complete.

So there she and Rosanna sat, going over paint colors and flooring options for all the bedrooms when her phone rang. She reached over absentmindedly and picked it up to answer it.

"This is Carly," she said.

"Mom," JJ's voice sounded over the phone. He sounded odd.

"JJ what's wrong?" she asked turning her attention away from the house plans. Rosanna looked up concerned by Carly's reaction.

"Mom… I don't want to get you upset," JJ began.

Any parent hearing those words is going to be get upset. "What's going on? Where are you? Are you ok?" Carly asked all in a rush.

"I'm fine. I'm here at the farm to get Sage," JJ explained.

"Is it Sage? Did she get hurt riding?"

"Is Sage alright?" Rosanna asked.

"I was told not to call you but I knew I had to."

Carly's face went white. Instinctively she knew something bad had happened.

JJ continued. "Sage was gone when I got here. I guess she went off with someone into the woods. Holden, Natalie and Aunt Emma all went out looking for her, but they couldn't find her."

"Is your dad there? Does he know what's going on?" she asked him as she tried to steady the pounding fear in her heart.

"Holden is calling dad right now. He told me to wait until he talked to dad first before calling you, but I knew you would want to know," he said softly. "You're not going to get sick because I told you are you?"

"Of course not, honey! Don't you worry, ok? I'm going to be fine and I'm going to find your sister. Have you tried calling her?"

"No, I didn't think about that. I can try and call her right now if you want me to," he offered.

"That would be great. If you talk to her, don't worry her; just ask her where she is and if she needs someone to come get her."

"Alright mom. What are you going to do?"

"I'm coming over there right now. I'll see you in a bit," she said hanging up the phone and looking over at Rosanna.

"What's happened to Sage?" Rosanna asked.

"Apparently she went off into the woods with someone and no one's seen her since. That isn't like Sage to just disappear like that," Carly said thinking things through in her head. "I need you to stay here with Michael. I'm going to take your car over to the farm. I want you to make sure you lock all the doors and make sure all the alarms are on once I leave," Carly said leaving no room for discussion.

"Do you think this is a good idea?" Rosanna questioned as she followed Carly into the living where she grabbed her purse.

"Of course I do! My daughter is missing and I'm going to go and find her." Carly held out her hand towards Rosanna. "Keys."

Rosanna nodded and dug through her purse until she found them. She reluctantly placed them in Carly's waiting hand. "Don't you think you should talk to Jack first?" Rosanna asked her.

"Why? So he can tell me to sit tight while he looks for our daughter. No, I'm not going to sit by and do nothing. Not anymore. Sage is out there and she's in trouble," Carly said as she turned and headed towards the front door.

"All the more reason for you to call Jack," Rosanna called to her as she followed.

"I'm going to the farm. What could possibly happen?" Carly asked as she turned around to face Rosanna.

"Are you really going to ask me that after what happened the last time?" Rosanna asked with a raised eyebrow.

Carly sighed and rolled her eyes. "Nothing is going to happen." She looked at her sister and her expression softened. "Promise me you'll keep Michael safe."

"I'll guard him with my life," she said hugging her sister tight. "Don't do anything stupid."

Carly laughed. "I won't. Now, remember… lock up." She gave Rosanna a kiss on the cheek before she headed out the door.

_Over at Emma's Farm…_

Jack and Daryl met up with Holden who was waiting outside for them. Jack thought it would be a good idea to talk in detail away from Natalie and JJ. Jack especially didn't want JJ knowing too much. It was bad enough that he knew Sage was missing in the first place. Add to it that he wanted to call Carly and that was just a bad situation all around. Jack knew he was going to have to talk to Carly eventually. He just wanted to put it off until the last possible moment. Daryl had made the arrangements to have Julia's call to the station put through to Jack's phone, whenever it was that Julia decided to call back. This provided Jack, Daryl and a forensic team to go over the areas of the farm where Sage and Julia might have been.

"Would you mind if we asked Natalie a few questions?" Jack asked. "If we could get a description of the person she saw with Sage and anything else she saw or noticed, it might be just what we need to speed this up," Jack asked. He understood that Holden might have reservations about involving his youngest daughter in all of this.

"I thought you might want to talk to her. I don't mind as long as it's just a few people around. Do you mind if you talk to her in the house? You know… away from all of this," he said indicating to the team of people combing the farm for evidence.

"No, I don't mind at all. In the house is good," he said heading into the house. Holden and Daryl followed him in. Emma was in the kitchen putting some dishes away.

"Momma, where's Natalie?" Holden asked as he walked inside.

"She's in watching television," Emma said indicating towards the living room. Holden went off to get her and Emma walked over to Jack and wrapped her arms around him.

"How are you holding up sweetheart?"

Jack immediately felt a sense of calm surround him as he hugged his aunt back. "I've been better," he admitted.

"She's going to be ok, you'll see. Julia won't harm her," she said trying to reassure him.

"I hope with all my heart you're right. I just don't know. Julia isn't who we thought she was," he told her as he walked over and took a seat at the kitchen table.

"You'll find her and bring her home safe," Emma smiled at him.

"Hello Emma," Daryl smiled at her. He and Rosanna had come over to have dinner with her shortly after he and Rosanna had moved in temporarily with Carly and Jack. He'd like her immediately and understood why Rosanna had such warm feelings for her. He was sad that he had to see her under this kind of circumstance.

"Daryl," she smiled back. "Can I get either of you anything to drink?"

"No thank you," Daryl said. Jack sat in the chair, his thoughts having drifted a million miles away.

Holden returned shortly with Natalie and sat down at the table with her and Jack.

"Tell me everything you can about the person you saw Sage with earlier. What kind of clothes they were wearing, what their hair looked like, what they said if anything…"

"I didn't hear anything," Natalie explained. "I came outside and saw that Sage wasn't in the garden. I thought maybe she'd gone into the barn to feed the horses and so was walking over there when I looked out across the field and saw her near the woods with someone."

"Could you tell if it was a man or a woman?"

"Not really. The person had short dark hair. They were taller than Sage, but not as tall as you or daddy," she said.

"Were they wearing a coat or a hat?"

"It looked like they were wearing a coat but I can't be sure. It was a dark color. Maybe dark blue or black and jeans. They were definitely wearing jeans."

"Could you show me which way they headed?" Jack asked.

"Sure," she said.

"Great," Jack said hoping this would give them something positive to build on.

Upstairs JJ was watching out the window and waiting for his mother to arrive. She was immediately met by various uniformed officers. Once they realized who she was they went back to work and Carly headed inside. JJ ran down the stairs to meet her. He had a feeling his dad wasn't going to be too happy.

In the kitchen, Jack, Holden, Daryl and Natalie got up from the table and began making their way outside so that way Natalie could show them the exact area Sage was last seen. Unfortunately before Jack could open the door, the door swung open and in walked Carly. Jack was stopped dead in his tracks as he stared into the face of his beautiful wife.

"Where is everyone going?" Carly asked looking from Jack all the way down to Natalie.

"Carly. What are you doing here?" Jack asked finally finding his voice.

"I'm here to find Sage," she said her eyes solely focused on his. Challenging him to tell her to go home or get after her for leaving the house without permission.

"How…" he began. He'd started to ask how she even knew what was happening but she cut him off.

"How did I know about Sage when you didn't think to call me? Is that what you were going to ask me?" she leveled at him.

Jack confirmed she had been correct in her assumptions without saying so much as a word. At that moment JJ popped into the kitchen and witnessed the awkward scene in front of him. Natalie glanced over at him and decided to spill the beans.

"JJ called his mom and told her about Sage," she said looking up at her dad.

"Were you eavesdropping?" JJ rounded on her.

"JJ… I'd asked you to wait until after we had a chance to talk to your dad," Holden said looking down at him.

"JJ is not to blame here," Carly inserted. "He's the only one thinking clearly." She turned back to Jack. "How could you keep this from me?" she asked shaking her head in disbelief.

Jack hung his head in shame. He didn't know what to say. He'd rationalized it in his mind so easily before while he'd been at the station. But now, standing here face to face with her, he didn't have an answer.

"Alright, let's give them some privacy, shall we?" Emma said coming up and collecting JJ and Natalie. "You two come with me," she said ushering them from the kitchen.

"We'll be outside," Daryl said indicating to Holden and himself.

Once the kitchen was empty with the exception of the two of them, Jack was finally prepared to have the conversation he'd been dreading. He looked up into her face and met her eyes once more…


	56. Chapter 56

**Chapter Fifty-six**

"I'm sorry," he said softly. His warm brown eyes were sad and sought forgiveness. He studied her face watching as the emotions flickered across. He could tell that she was angry and he knew she had every right to be. How would he have reacted if the roles were reversed? He would have felt betrayed and angry and lashed out at her for keeping this from him. He hadn't done it for himself though, he tried to reason. He'd done it to protect her, to keep her safe. He knew she shouldn't be handling any more stress than necessary. And let's face it; their lives were anything but stress free right now. Julia being on the loose, wandering around was one thing. Julia having kidnapped their daughter was something entirely different. The fear, anxiety and stress he was feeling was enough to make him sick… he didn't want to think what it could do to Carly. However, he knew that regardless of all that, he should have told her. She was the strongest woman he'd ever met and she always handled situations like this amazingly well. Why would this time be any different?

Carly stood there with her arms crossed in front of her. She couldn't believe Jack would keep something like this from her. How could he do that? He would have blown a gasket if she'd done something like that. She shook her head slightly, still unable to put into words all the jumbled thoughts and emotions swirling around in her mind. She was angry and hurt and scared and she didn't know how to respond to him. Her blue eyes glittered with emotion as they bored into his. Then something clicked and she looked at him… really looked at him. The man standing in front of her looked defeated. He was still her brave, strong G-Man but she could see the change. She hadn't really noticed it until this moment. This situation with Julia had really taken a toll on him. There was a slump in his broad shoulders and a tired look in his eyes. He was doing everything he could to protect his family and yet he still felt that it wasn't enough. She saw the remorse in his eyes. And then she recognized something else. Something that she'd felt one too many times. Guilt. She knew what he was going through, having being caught a time or two on keeping something from him. She could feel her heart soften and she knew why he'd felt the need to do that. She knew he'd done it for her, to protect her.

"You should have called me," she said softly.

"Yes I should have," he agreed. "I was scared Carly. I nearly lost you after what happened with Julia in the cabin. I couldn't bear the thought that anything I'd said or done ended up causing you stress and took you away from us… from me."

"I know that."

"I didn't know how to tell you I let you down again," the words tumbled out of him as he covered his eyes and hung his head.

"This isn't your fault Jack. Talk to me. What happened? Do we know who Sage went off with?"

This was the moment Jack had been dreading. At this point, in Carly's mind Sage could be off with a friend for all they knew. However, once he told her the full truth all hope would disappear and real fear would set in. He raised his head and stared into her eyes and his own filled with tears.

"No! Don't say it," Carly said adamantly shaking her head and backing away from him as he tried to pull her close.

"Carly, come here," he pleaded as she moved around to the other side of the kitchen island.

"Do not tell me that _she_ has her, Jack. Don't say it!" she said as her own eyes filled with tears as the fear gripped her heart. She put her hands on the counter to steady herself as she tried to breathe.

"Not saying it won't make it any less true," he said softly. "Julia called me."

"She could be lying Jack. It's not like it wouldn't be the first time she did something like that," Carly tried reasoning.

"I heard Sage in the background," he said his own heart breaking at having to watch his wife go through this pain.

Carly looked up at him as the tears silently fell down her cheeks. "Are you sure it was her? You're positive it was Sage?"

Jack could only nod as his own tears fell. It was then that Carly broke down and let out and the pain and heartache that had built up. Jack moved quickly to grab her and hold her, letting her cry. He held her tight, not saying a word needing her as much as she needed him. Carly clung to him, holding him close wishing with all her heart that he could make it all better and take away the fear. After a little while, Carly was able to collect herself and her mind started thinking once again.

"What does she want?" she asked him pulling back and wiping the tears from her face.

Jack reached out and helped brush the tears away with a thumb. "She wants me. We're waiting for her to call back. She wants to meet me somewhere. Alone. Once I'm there, she'll let Sage go."

"Are you kidding me? She won't let Sage go! Why would she? She'll have you and Sage. All the better to torture me with. I'm not letting you go and meet her alone Jack. That's insane!"

"I have to do what I can to save Sage. Right now, Julia is in control. If we want our daughter back, we have to cooperate with her."

"The woman is mad!"

"Yes she is. However, she knows that keeping Sage safe is her only chance right now."

"I don't like this," Carly said shaking her head.

"I'm wearing a wire. Daryl got me all hooked up before we left the station. I need you to trust me Carly."

"I do trust you. I've always trusted you. It's Julia that I don't trust." She took a deep breath and held it a moment before letting it out. "Tell me she's going to be ok," she begged him.

Jack's eyes flashed and he set his jaw with a fierce determination as he placed a hand under her chin and looked down into her eyes. "I promise that she'll come home safely to you," he said quietly.

Carly smiled back at him despite his choice of words.

_Meanwhile, in a cabin not too far away…_

Julia paced the floor while she mentally prepared herself to deal with the phone call she was about to make. She knew Jack and she knew how his cop mind worked. He would do anything and everything within his power to keep his daughter safe and that was the one thing she could count on to ensure this went the way she wanted it to. She glanced over at the small cot in the corner of the room. The young girl was still tied up, gagged and blindfolded. She'd left her like that while she'd left to make arrangements for her meeting with Jack. She could only imagine the thoughts going through the child's mind. However, she shrugged them off not giving it another moment of her time.

She inhaled slowly letting it out gradually and pulled the phone from her pocket. She carefully dialed the number to the station and waited.

"Oakdale PD. How can I direct your call?" the voice on the other end answered.

"Detective Snyder please," she said calmly.

"May I tell him whose calling?" "Oh I think he's expecting my call, but you can tell him it's his ex-wife," she said with a smirk.

"One moment please."

"Of course," she said pleasantly as she waited. She could feel the excitement stirring within her as the anticipation of hearing his voice once again overwhelmed her. Her pulse raced and her heart pounded in her chest. She swore that the bound girl in the corner would be able to hear it. She took a breath to steady her nerves…

_Back at the farm…_

Jack and Carly stood in the kitchen with their arms around each other. He gently stroked her back trying his best to keep her calm. He could feel the steady rhythm of her heart beating against his own. Carly held on tight as she rested her cheek on his shoulder. The comforting touch of his hands helped to soothe her frayed nerves. They both heard his phone ring in his pocket and she pulled away reluctantly and instantly felt the absence of his warmth. Carly shivered involuntarily.

Jack looked down at the phone and saw that it was the station calling and knew that this was the call they'd been waiting for. He looked back up at Carly and she knew who was calling.

"Go outside and get Daryl for me," Jack asked her preparing himself to take the call. She obliged him and headed out the door to find Daryl. Jack sent a prayer heavenward and pressed answer on his phone.

"Snyder."

"Detective… Your ex-wife is on the phone. Are you ready for me to patch her through?"

"Yes. Are you all set up on that end?" Jack asked more than ready to end this thing with Julia once and for all. A moment later Carly, Daryl, and Holden walked into the kitchen.

"We're ready to go, Detective."

"Then put her through," Jack said never taking his eyes off Carly.

A silence that stretched for what seemed like an eternity followed. He heard the click and knew the call had been connected.

"This is Jack," he said as calmly as he could.

"Took you long enough," Julia replied. "You disappoint me, Jack. I thought you cops were better prepared."

"Let's get this settled Julia. Where did you want to meet?" Jack kept his eyes on Carly.

"You in a hurry to see me again?" she chuckled.

Jack sighed in frustration. He wasn't in the mood to play games with her. "What I want is for you to let my daughter go," Jack told her already beginning to loose his patience.

"Uh, uh, uh, Jack. You'd better calm down. If you anger me, you never know what I might do," she warned him.

"I'm sorry. I just want Sage home safely," he said remorsefully. He didn't want to push her and risk her harming Sage in anyway.

"Fine Jack. No more small talk. You have twenty minutes to meet me outside the church at Luther's Corner."

"Is that where you want to meet… at the church?"

"Are you really going to make me repeat myself? I assume your recording this Jack," Julia said dryly.

"You will have Sage with you, right?" Jack asked wanting confirmation that his daughter would be there.

"Remember Jack… come alone. I'm going to be watching. If you bring anyone with you or I see anyone following behind you, you won't see your little girl again," she told him.

"I want to speak with my daughter," he told her.

"All in due time. Twenty minutes, at the church," she repeated. "See you soon," she said and promptly hung up the phone.

"Julia!" Jack yelled into the phone despite hearing the silence on the other end. "Damn it," he said frustrated as he hung up the phone. He looked to Daryl who merely shook his head in response to the unasked question.

"It was a long shot anyway. She knew we'd be trying to tracing the call. Hell, she knew we were recording it." Jack looked down at his watch. "It only takes less than ten minutes to the get to the church from here. That gives us only about five minutes or so to get a plan together."

"That's not enough time for your backup to get set up," Daryl told him. "Holden, can we borrow your truck? I can head down before you Jack and get into position."

"Of course. Anything I can do to help," Holden told him, tossing him the keys to his truck.

"I'm not going to risk you getting hurt again," Jack said. "Julia wants to exchange Sage for me and that is what's going to happen," he stated purposely avoiding looking at Carly. She'd been quiet up until that point.

"You are not going down there without back up!" She looked at him like he'd lost his mind.

"She has Sage, Carly," he said stating the obvious.

"I know that."

"She said no backup and that she'd be watching," he told her.

"I know how much she hates you and me. She's tried to kill you before Jack, there's no reason for her not to try and do that again. I won't let you go by yourself," she whispered trying to keep her emotions in check.

"I'll go with him," Holden offered. "Perhaps Julia wouldn't have a problem if I went with you," he said to Jack.

"Absolutely not!" Jack told him, flat out dismissing the offer. "You have a family of your own and I'm not going to risk your kids loosing their father."

"What about your kids?" Holden leveled back.

"I'm trying to save one of my kids!" Jack shouted back. "You have no police training, Holden. You're not going with me. Besides," he said lowering his voice, "I need you to stay here with Carly." He quickly glanced at her but turned away.

Jack checked his watch again. "If you're going to go, then you need to leave now," he said to Daryl.

Daryl nodded and headed out the door. A few moments later the sound of the truck engine roared to life as Daryl headed down to the church.

Jack peeked at Carly before turning to Holden. "Go tell Emma what's going on and have her keep the kids occupied for a little while longer."

Holden recognized the request for more than what it was intended. "Sure," he said before giving him a hug. "Be careful." Holden patted him on the back and then left the kitchen leaving Jack alone with Carly.

Jack turned slowly and met his wife's eyes. He could see the fear in those blue eyes that haunted his every waking moment. He didn't say a word as he crossed the kitchen to stand before her. He reached out and brushed a strand of her blond hair back away from her face. He cupped her chin and just gazed down memorizing every line, every curve of her beautiful face. Carly rested her hand against his and stared back into those deep brown eyes that she loved so much. She saw the fear and sadness within them and it scared her. Jack brushed a thumb across her lower lip and leaned in closer, resting his head against hers.

"I love you," he said, his voice slightly shaking.

Carly reached up and slid her hand along his neck to the back of his head and thread her fingers through his hair. "I love you too… so much."

"Never forget it," he said quietly before lowering his lips to hers. He kissed her softly at first but then urgency and desire took over. He needed her to know how much he loved her, how much he'd always loved her. And he had to show her just how much, just in case. His tongue plunged into her mouth ravishing her own. His hands grabbed her waist and pulled her soft body against his hard one. Carly clung to him, needing to feel every inch of him for as long as she could. His hands reached up under her shirt and slid up her back, feeling the smoothness of her skin. His mouth left hers and sought her neck. Carly's body reacted instantly the moment Jack hit the spot and she groaned in pleasure at the sensation.

"Jack," she whispered his name. The sound of his name crossing her lips in that moment was burned to memory. Never had anything sounded more beautiful. He knew then that this had to end and he reluctantly pulled back, breathing heavy.

"I have to go."

"I know," Carly answered her voice barely above a whisper. Tears glistened in her eyes but she refused to cry. At least not in front of him.

"Sage is coming home," he told her confidently. If there was one thing he'd make sure of, it was that.

"Just make sure that her Dad comes home with her."

Jack gave her a bittersweet smile before kissing her head softly. He turned and headed toward the kitchen door. He stopped suddenly and turned back to look at her once more. He flashed her a grin that had always made her knees weak and in the next moment he was gone.

Carly stared at the door as it swung closed. She heard Jack's car start up and the wheels on the gravel as they turned around and made their way down the driveway. And then silence. She finally closed her eyes and it was only then that the tears started to fall.

_A short time later, at the church…_

Jack pulled into the parking lot of the church taking a long look around. He saw Holden's truck parked alongside the back of the church and Jack purposely parked where he knew that Daryl would have a clean view of the area. Jack turned off the engine and glanced around before slowly getting out of the car. He turned around looking for any sign of Julia. There were a few other cars in the parking lot but no visible motion of anyone in or near them. He looked down at his watch and saw that he was there on time. He looked up and let out of deep breath and waited.

Jack heard the door to the church creak open and he turned in that direction. He'd expected to see Julia but instead it was a young man, maybe in his twenties. He skipped down the steps of the church and glanced around. Noticing Jack across the parking lot, he made his way over to him.

Jack watched him advance and he subtly checked his holster but made no movement to retrieve his gun. At least not yet. As the young man made his way closer, Jack could tell that he couldn't have been much older than Parker. Maybe twenty at the oldest.

"Are you Snyder?" he asked once he was close enough to Jack.

"Who are you?"

"Are you Snyder?" he repeated again.

"Yes and who the hell are you?" Jack asked irritated.

"I was asked to give you this," he said reaching into his pocket.

Jack immediately pulled his gun and leveled it at him.

"Drop it!" he ordered him.

"Relax!" the kid answered. He dropped something onto the ground as his hands flew up into the air defensively. It wasn't heavy like a gun or a knife which was what Jack had anticipated. It merely floated to the ground.

Jack glanced down quickly, still keeping his gun trained on the kid. A piece of paper lie at the kid's feet. "Pick it up. Slowly," Jack added.

The young man did as instructed and reached down and picked it up and handed it to Jack.

"Who gave you this?"

"Some woman I bumped into at the mini mart," he said truthfully. "She asked me if I wanted to make some easy cash and I said yes. I didn't know you'd pull a gun on me," he said sheepishly.

"What else did she say to you?"

"She told me to wait for about an hour and that a guy who looked like you would show up. She said to hand you the note and then leave. That's it."

"That's it? Nothing else?" he questioned him.

The young man shook his head.

Jack lowered his weapon, but still kept an eye on the kid. He open the note and found further instructions from Julia:

_Jack, _

_I know how your mind works Jack and I know you have cops hanging around with you at the church. If you want to see your daughter alive, you and only you will follow these instructions to where I am. If I believe you have come alone, I will let your daughter go and we can finally settle things. However, if you even think about double-crossing me… you will live to regret it._

_All my love,_

_~ Julia_

At the bottom of the note were driving instructions. Jack looked back up at the kid in front of him trying to discern whether or not he was more involved than he claimed. Jack could see in his eyes that he'd had no idea what he'd gotten himself into.

"Get out of here," Jack told him lowering his weapon.

The young man turned and made his way back across the parking lot to one of the cars on the other side.

Jack looked over and saw Daryl motion towards his phone indicating that he wanted Jack to call him. Jack reached into his pocket and grabbed his phone. It began to vibrate and he looked down to see that Daryl was calling him. Jack pressed answer but didn't say a word.

"What happened? What was that all about?" Daryl asked frantically. "Does she have someone she's working with?"

"No. Just some stupid, greedy kid doing her dirty work. She gave me further instructions."

"What does she want now?"

"For me to come alone. She knows I have backup."

"Where does she want to meet?" "I don't know. There are only driving instructions. No addresses."

"Alright then. You're the leader," Daryl said.

"No. Not this time. You need to stay. Sage's life depends on it."

"Jack…" Daryl began but Jack stopped him.

"No. I mean it. I'm not taking any chances with my daughter's life. I promised Carly I would make sure she'd come home safe and that's exactly what I plan to do. Wait here and when I get to where I need to be, I'll call you."

"I don't think this is a good idea Jack."

"It's not up to you, Daryl. Look I appreciate it everything you've done and I can't tell you how much your support has meant to me throughout all of this. I've enjoyed working with you again."

"Me too."

"I need you to trust me now. I know what I'm doing."

As much as Daryl hated it, he knew Jack had to do this his way. Working with Jack for a number of years, he'd learned to trust Jack's instincts as much as his own.

"Good luck," he said sincerely.

"Thanks," Jack said as he hung up the phone and made his way towards his daughter and towards Julia…


	57. Chapter 57

**Chapter Fifty-seven**

Jack drove along the narrow dirt road. Julia's instructions had taken him back into town and then back out again. He had begun to get worried that she'd sent him on a wild goose chase until he finally made it back out to Luther's Corner and finally down the road he was on now. He guessed that the diversion back to town was done to give her more time to prepare for his arrival and to possibly make it so that Jack would loose anyone following him due to all the traffic lights. It couldn't have been done to try and confuse Jack on where he was because Julia knew he was very familiar with the area. In fact, Jack was pretty sure he'd been down this particular road before. Because it was summer, the trees and bushes were thick with their foliage and so he wasn't able to see as far ahead of him as he would've liked. After nearly a half hour since getting the instructions, he turned the corner and finally saw a cabin tucked into the woods. He slowed down and stopped the car for a moment, looking for any signs of Sage or Julia. Jack pulled out his cell phone and called Daryl.

"I was getting worried you weren't going to call," Daryl said as a way of answering the phone.

"Julia sent me the long way around. I'm on West Creek Road, not too far from the church."

"Have you seen Sage?"

"No, not yet. I wanted to go over everything once more. Do not send anyone here to the cabin until you hear from me that Sage is clear… you got it? She's our first priority here."

"You have my word. No backup until your signal," Daryl assured him.

Jack paused and tried to steady his nerves. Nothing could go wrong. He had to make sure everything went according to plan in order to assure Sage's safety. He would not let Carly down again.

"Thanks again for everything Daryl," Jack said quietly.

"Anytime, you know that."

Jack smiled wistfully and let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. "Alright… here we go."

"Good luck," Daryl told him and ended the call.

Jack glanced again in the direction of the cabin. He didn't see any signs of movement and he put the car in drive and slowly drove ahead toward the cabin. He pulled to a stop when he was about fifty yards away. His heart was hammering in his chest. He checked his gun again before unbuckling his seat belt and opening the car door. He cautiously stepped out of the car keeping his eyes fixed on the cabin and any signs of Sage or Julia. He shut the door and took a few steps towards the cabin when he saw the door open. He stopped and watched as Julia emerged from inside. She stood in the doorway staring back at him.

"Hello Jack," she called to him.

"Julia," he answered bluntly. His eyes darted left and right trying to get a glimpse past her into the cabin.

"I'm glad to see you followed my instructions and came alone. I must admit a part of me wasn't so sure you'd do it."

"I head up my end of the deal. Now you need to make good on your end. Let my daughter go." He held his breath and waited.

"Oh Jack," Julia said with a shake of her head. "You're always in such a hurry. Don't you remember when we'd sit and talk after dinner? I'd ask you about your day and I'd tell you about mine."

"I'm here for my daughter Julia, not to chit chat."

Her face contorted with rage and she gave him an icy stare.

"Since I have your daughter and I'm the one who's a bit unstable, I think we'll do things my way," she sneered at him. "Now, I'll ask you again… do you remember our life together? How happy we were? Dinners at Emma's… drinks with Lily and Holden... quiet nights at home. We had everything we ever wanted. Life was perfect… and it can be again," she said gauging his reaction.

"You want to talk about the past? Fine. But first, you need to let my daughter go and then you and I can talk for as long as you want," Jack told her, taking advantage of the opportunity to get Sage away from her.

"You mean it? You're not trying to trick me?" she looked at him trying to determine whether or not he was being honest with her.

Jack could almost see the wheels turning in head as she pondered what to do. He decided to try and sweeten the deal. He'd do anything to ensure that Sage was set free.

"As soon as Sage is free," he paused for effect, "I'll even discard my weapon," he finished.

Julia's head perked up at that. A deal like that was too good to pass up. "Alright," she told him. "You wait right here and I'll go get her."

She disappeared back into the cabin and returned a short time later with Sage walking slowly behind her. Jack's heart was filled with all kinds of emotions. Elation, at seeing his daughter and that she looked unharmed. Anger, at seeing the scared look in Sage's eyes. And fear. Fear, that Julia was capable of anything and that Sage wouldn't be safe until she was far away from here.

Sage walked out of the cabin and her eyes darted around. She looked down from the porch and almost couldn't believe what she was seeing.

"Daddy?" she questioned, her voice shaky and uncertain.

"It's me, honey. Everything's going to be ok," he said giving her a smile and trying to reassure her.

Sage smiled back and took a step forward. She wanted nothing more than to be in her dad's safe and protective arms. However, Julia held out a hand and stopped her. Sage looked up at the woman who'd been holding her prisoner and then back at her father.

"Let her go Julia," Jack growled.

"First drop your weapon, Jack."

"I told you I would once you let Sage go. You got what you wanted… I'm here just like you asked. As soon as Sage leaves, we can talk like you wanted to," Jack said barely able to contain his hatred for her.

Sage looked at her father and realized that he was there to basically trade himself for her. She couldn't let her dad do that. She turned and shoved Julia as hard as she could, knocking her off balance. Sage jumped down off the porch and took off running as fast as she could towards her dad.

"Daddy run!" Sage yelled.

Jack was stunned for a moment. There was no way he could have anticipated that his daughter would have reacted that way. Everything seemed to suddenly be moving in slow motion. As he watched Sage run toward him, he saw past her to where Julia was. She regained her balance and reached into the waistband of her jeans and withdrew a gun, leveling it at the back of Sage. Jack knew he wouldn't have time to pull his own weapon and so he did the only thing he could. He shoved Sage out of the way and covered her.

The gunshot echoed in the quiet of the woods. Jack froze for a moment and absorbed all the sounds around him. He heard the birds chirping, his own breathing and Sage's crying. He sat up and panic engulfed him. She was covered in blood.

"Sage! Oh God! Honey… are you ok? Where are you hurt?"

She pushed herself up into a sitting position and stared down at her hands and the blood that covered them. She looked up at her dad with tears spilling down her cheeks. Her eyes were wide with fear.

"Sage… honey answer me! What hurts?" he asked her again. He knew she was in shock but he didn't want to shake her to snap her out of it. He looked her over and saw more blood on her clothes and he felt like he was going to be sick. And then the anger hit. It filled his mind and body completely. His thoughts turned black with rage. He was going to kill her!

And then Sage's voice broke into his consciousness.

"It's not me dad… it's you," she cried pointing towards his left shoulder. Jack looked down and saw the wound and instantaneously felt the white hot pain shoot through him.

"Daddy are you going to die?" Sage sobbed.

Jack clenched his jaw and did his best to ignore the pain. Sweat broke out on his forehead. "I'm going to be just fine," he smiled reaching up and brushing the tears off her face. "Don't worry about me." Then Jack heard the footsteps coming up behind them.

"I wouldn't be too sure about that Jack," Julia spat out.

Jack turned and came face to face with the barrel of Julia's gun.

"You still haven't learned to not make promises you can't keep," she taunted him.

Sage began to cry even harder. Jack knew he had to get her out of there quickly.

"Sage, listen to me," he said turning back to focus on Sage. She was having a hard time concentrating on him as she kept looking over his shoulder at the gun Julia had pointing at him. Jack reached out and put his hands on her face and held it there so he could get her sole attention.

"Everything's going to be ok," he told her. Julia snickered behind him, but he continued. "I need you to go. Follow the road and it will lead you back to town. You understand?"

"I don't want to leave you daddy," she whispered between sobs.

"I know, but I need you to do this for me. Alright? You need to be brave and you need to go now," he urged her gently. The pain in his shoulder and upper chest was excruciating.

"What about you? You're hurt. You need a doctor," she cried.

"I'll be fine. It looks worse than it is," he said patting her arm.

Sage looked back at Julia who just smiled in return. "Don't worry sweetheart. I'll take care of your dad," she grinned wickedly. "I used to be a nurse."

Sage looked back at her dad, the tears still streaming down her face.

"You can do this. I know you can," Jack said as he slowly stood up and pulled her up with him.

Sage nodded her head as she squeezed her eyes shut tightly. She blinked and looked up at her father. Her lower lip quivered as she tried to control her crying. "I love you dad," she cried out throwing her arms around him.

Jack's heart nearly broke as he hugged his daughter tightly to him. He leaned down and kissed the top of her head. He could smell her strawberry shampoo as hundreds of images flashed through his mind: Sage's birth, moments he held her in his arms, singing to her in the middle of the night, dance recitals, picking apples at the farm, late nights curled up on the sofa watching a movie… all of them and more came flooding to the surface. He had to get her away from there.

"Go Sage," he ordered her breaking the hug and his heart right along with it.

Sage pulled back and looked up at him and nodded once before she took off as fast as she could go down the road. Away from him… and away from Julia.

Jack watched her go until she was out of sight and then he slowly turned to face Julia. She stood there with her gun still pointing at him, not saying a word.

"Sage is safe. Now we can talk," he said as means of alerting those on the other end of the wire. Unfortunately, Jack had no way of knowing that the gunshot wound had damaged the wire and that it was no longer working.

"Yes, she's gone. Now, slowly put your gun on the ground and kick it over here," she said coldly.

Jack withdrew his gun. He held it up for her to see before dropping it onto the ground. He kicked it in Julia's general direction.

She stood there and just stared at him. "You really are a wonderful father," she said quietly after a few minutes had passed.

Jack looked blankly back at her. He needed to conserve his energy. The bullet wound in his shoulder was bad and he was loosing a lot of blood.

"I always knew you would be. That's why I wanted to give you a baby so badly."

"It wasn't meant to be Julia," he said softly.

"We could have tried again. If you'd just given me another chance I know I could have given you a child," she said, the anguish still evident.

"No Julia. _We_ weren't meant to be. It never would have worked," he said grimacing slightly at the pain.

"You're wrong Jack. You don't know what you're saying," she argued. She stopped for a moment and then she remembered something.

"I know you miss what we had Jack," she said feeling confident. "It's obvious."

"What are you talking about Julia?" Jack asked confused.

"Because of your son," she answered smiling.

_Meanwhile, back at the farm…_

Sage burst through the tree line on the outside of the pasture of her Aunt Emma's farm. When she had left her dad and took off down the road, she'd had every intention of following it all the way back to town as he had instructed. However, once she'd been running for a while her mind had had a chance to catch up and she decided to take a shortcut to the farm, following the same path that she'd been forced to take with the scary woman. She knew she had to get help for her dad as soon as possible. She'd never been so scared in all her life when she'd seen her dad's wound and all the blood. She knew she had to get to her mom as soon as possible. Her mom would know exactly what to do. She ran across the yard toward the house but was stopped before she could get there by three police officers who seemed to materialize out of nowhere. They immediately recognized her.

"Sage! Where's your father?" asked one of the officers looking around.

"She has him. That woman has him and she shot him!" she cried.

They looked down at her and saw the blood.

"Are you hurt?" another one asked.

Sage was about to answer but a voice coming from the house stopped her and she turned in the direction of it. She saw her mother running over to her. Relief evident on her face.

"Sage!" Carly cried running out the door. Carly had been in the kitchen with Holden waiting to hear something… anything from Jack. She'd been very worried. He'd left so long ago. She had been staring out the window when she saw Sage running across the field. Holden had followed her outside.

"Mom!" Sage yelled as she pushed past the officers and ran into her mother's arms.

"Oh thank God!" Carly breathed out as she held onto Sage, hugging her close. "I knew your dad would find you." Carly pulled back to look at her daughter and smiled through the happy tears. And then she noticed the blood covering her hands and clothes. She gasped and immediately started checking Sage all over for the source of it.

"NO!" Carly cried out turning her this way and that looking for the wound.

"Mom, I'm fine. I'm fine," Sage kept repeating as Carly continued her inspection.

"What did she do to you?"

"She didn't hurt me… she hurt daddy!"

Carly stopped immediately and stared into her daughter's eyes. She could see the very real fear and knew that Jack was in trouble.

The officers came over to them. "We need to ask you a few questions," one of them said to Sage.

"No, what you need to do is find my husband!" Carly shouted at them. "He's been shot!"

"That's why we need to talk to Sage," another said.

"Where are they?" Carly asked turning Sage around to face her, ignoring the officers completely.

"In a cabin in the woods," Sage told her.

One of the officers walked away and made a phone call. Carly could only assume it was to the station to figure out how they wanted to proceed. Carly didn't have that kind of time. Jack was hurt and in trouble and she needed to find him now. She turned around to Holden and pulled him away out of earshot of the officers.

"Do you know about a cabin near here?"

Holden thought for a moment and then nodded. "There's a small cabin out on West Creek Road. It used to be used all the time during the summer for fisherman, but it's been abandoned for years. It's close enough to get there by foot from here," he whispered.

Carly knew what she had to do. "I need a favor," she told him.

_Meanwhile, back at the cabin…_

Julia had forced Jack into the cabin. He sat on the small cot, leaning up against the wall. He could feel himself growing weaker. He tried to keep pressure on it, but it wasn't doing much good. Julia, with gun still in hand, was pacing the floor of the cabin. Finally she grabbed the only chair in the one room and sat down facing him. She kept her gun on him, however. She wanted to make sure that he was aware that he wasn't going to be going anywhere.

"What do you want from me?" Jack asked. He was tired. Tired of the whole entire situation. Tired of dealing with Julia and her crazy machinations and tired from all the stress he'd been under for the last couple of months ever since the report about her first crossed his desk. How he wished he could go back in time and handle things differently.

"What I want is for you to admit what you did. I want you to admit that you made mistakes and I want you to admit the truth… that you miss our life together. I know you do," she told him adamantly.

Jack sighed, shaking his head. "Julia… we've talked about this. We've talked about this so many times. I'm sorry I hurt you. I'm sorry I used you to try and move past the hurt I was feeling," he stated once again.

"No!" she started as she stood up and began pacing again. "You're just confused," she whined clenching her hand into a ball. She began to pound it against her head.

"No Julia, I'm being honest. From the first moment I met you, my heart already belonged to Carly."

"No!" she yelled at him. "She hurt you. I never did that to you. You love me, I know you do. You told me you did!"

"I love Carly. I've always loved Carly. I belong to her. And Carly didn't hurt me anymore than I hurt her," Jack said.

"You don't know what you're saying. This is what she does. She manipulates you and makes you say things you normally wouldn't," she tried to rationalize. She continued to pace back and forth.

"I know what I'm saying Julia. I used you to try and get over her and that wasn't fair to you and I'm sorry."

"Don't say that!" she yelled, rounding on him. "I know you miss us… miss what we have. Why else would you have a son named JJ? You wanted our baby… our family," she said softly.

"JJ isn't my biological son." Jack wasn't about to get into that sordid mess with Julia. There wasn't any point. "Carly and I adopted him after his mother died. It's just a coincidence that his name is JJ."

"I don't believe you," she said refusing to acknowledge what he was saying.

"It's the truth. I've apologized to you over and over for how I've treated you. What more do you want?"

His casual disregard set her off. She walked up to him and got down into his face. "You want to know what I want, Jack?" she snarled at him. She was shaking with rage as she looked him directly in the eyes. "I want you to suffer as much as I did when you left me for that bitch!"

_Meanwhile…_

Outside the cabin, Carly crept through the trees. She'd run faster than she'd ever had before. After she'd gotten as much information as she could out of Sage and Holden about the location of the cabin, she'd asked Holden for one more thing. She knew that Julia was armed. Carly didn't have a gun of her own but she knew Holden did. She asked for one of the shotguns she knew they had at the farm. Holden, at first, had flat out refused to give her one but offered to come along with her. She had told him no, in no uncertain terms. She said that he needed to stay at the farm to protect Emma and the kids. He didn't think it was a good idea and continued to try and talk her out of it, but she wouldn't budge. He had relented and they quickly entered the house. Holden had retrieved one of the shotguns and Carly had snuck out the other door and away from the eyes of officers, asking Holden to make up an excuse for her whereabouts.

So here she was gun in hand, creeping slowly toward the cabin. She heard Julia yelling from inside and she hurried forward to try and take a peek in the window. She hid off to the side and getting up on her tiptoes, looked inside. She saw Jack sitting down on a bed of some sort leaning against the wall. He looked pale and his shirt was completely soaked in blood. Julia lunged forward toward him, screaming at him about his lies. She held her gun on him, aiming at his chest. Carly knew she needed to act quickly. She ran around the corner to the door and sent up a little prayer. She took a deep breath and barged through the door.

"Get away from him!" she yelled pointing her shotgun at her.

Julia was completely startled and she whipped around aiming her gun back at Carly. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Carly… no!" Jack yelled at her. "Get out of here!"

"I said get away from him," Carly repeated when Julia made no move to do so.

"You think I'm afraid of you?" she sneered at Carly. "You should listen to Jack. But," she said as she smiled. "I'm actually really glad you're here. You can witness what happens to someone when _you_ love them."

"Shut up Julia!" Jack shouted before turning to Carly. "Carly, you need to go," he pleaded with her.

"And miss all the fun… come on Jack. Let her stay," Julia laughed.

"I'm not leaving without you," Carly told him, her blue eyes stared defiantly into his.

"Carly… the kids need you. You have to go," he said desperately. He was so weakened from the gunshot wound he wasn't sure if he would be able to protect her if it came down to it.

"The kids need us both," Carly told him.

"Oh spare me!" Julia choked out. "You're not going anywhere and neither are you Jack," she said to both of them.

"You don't need her Julia," Jack tried to bargain with her.

"Are you kidding me? She's the reason we're in this mess to begin with!" she rounded on Jack pointing her gun at him once more.

"Get. Away. From. Him," Carly enunciated.

"Or what?" Julia asked her practically laughing in her face. "Are you going to kill me? You don't have it in you," she dared her.

Carly looked at her and every single thing this woman had ever done, every hurt, every manipulative and twisted thing she'd said or done sounded in her head. From the moment Carly had been forced to leave Jack and was taken to Hong Kong, nearly drowning in quicksand, watching their house go up in flames, Sage being taken, to finding Jack hurt and bloody here in the cabin… all of it filled her mind over and over again. The smug look on Julia's face, a face that had haunted her dreams more times than she cared to admit, only furthered her resolve.

Carly looked her right in the face and pulled the trigger.


	58. Chapter 58

**Chapter Fifty-eight**

Carly staggered back after firing the gun. Shock replaced what had been a look of determination on her face as the reality of what she'd just done started to fully sink in. As she regained her balance, she stared at Julia who was now sprawled out on the floor of the cabin. Blood was spilling from the wound on the right side of her body. Carly could feel her hands begin to tremble and her heart was racing a mile a minute. She closed her eyes and took several deep breaths in through her nose and out through her mouth as she tried to calm herself down. Only when she heard Jack's quiet voice did she open her eyes.

"Carly? Honey… look at me," he urged her gently.

She opened her eyes and sought his immediately, doing her best to avoid looking at Julia's still body.

"Jack," she whispered back, locking eyes with him. Those warm, dark brown eyes always gave her strength.

"It's ok, sweetheart. Everything is going to be ok now," he told her as he struggled to get to his feet. His eyes never leaving hers.

Still holding on to the gun, she hurried over to him and wrapped an arm carefully around his waist to help him up. Once he was standing, he pulled her close with his good arm and hugged her as tightly as he could. He kissed her head as she buried her face against his chest.

"Come on," he said quietly as he nudged her toward the door. He'd seen the look on Carly's face. There was a haunted look in her eyes and all the color had drained from her beautiful face. She was in shock and it was apparent she was struggling with how to deal with what had happened. He knew that getting her outside and into the fresh air would help.

They made their way down the steps of the porch in silence. Jack stole a glance at her and he could already see the color return to her cheeks. They walked side by side out into the dirt driveway in front of the cabin. Jack stopped and gingerly bent down to pick up his gun that he'd dropped earlier and carefully put it in its holster while Carly tossed the shotgun off to the side, happy to be rid of it. A million thoughts were running around in his mind. He needed to get Daryl and Margo out here as soon as possible and wasn't sure why they weren't already here. His main priority was to make sure that Carly was ok and he wanted to find out how on earth she had found him. He also needed to get to a doctor, but that was the last thing on his mind. Not so for Carly.

"My God, Jack. We need to get you to a hospital," she said looking him over. He watched as she tugged at his shirt to get a better look at the wound. He noticed her hands were shaking terribly.

"Carly stop," he said softly to her, reaching out and grabbing her hands with his good one. "I'll be ok. Right now I'm worried about you." He reached up and brushed her cheek with the back of his hand. He cupped the side of her face as he peered into her blue eyes. Jack tilted his head and gave her a little smile. "Did you want to talk about it?" he asked her.

"What's there to talk about?"

"That can't have been an easy thing to do," he said gently. "I understand what you're going through."

Carly shrugged her shoulders slightly. "No, it wasn't. But what choice did I have… she would have killed you."

"I can't believe you came here. What were you thinking?" he asked her, concern etched on his handsome face.

"There was nothing to think about it," she whispered.

Carly never ceased to amaze him. Only she would risk everything for him without even thinking. What had he done to deserve that kind of love? Whatever it was, he would never take it for granted again. He looked into her eyes and he could still see the shock of everything that had happened lurking there behind her eyes.

"How are you feeling?" he asked her.

"I'm fine," she lied.

"You know… you don't always have to be so strong for me. I can see that you're not _fine_."

Her lower lip quivered, giving her away and she leaned into his hand turning her face as her lips brushed against the palm of his hand. She took a shaky breath and let it out.

"I was so scared and so angry," she began. "I've never felt like that before. Sure, I've been angry and scared, but this was different. When Sage told me that she'd shot you… I knew I had to find you."

"Wait a minute. Sage told you what happened? How?" he asked confused.

"She ran back to the farm. I saw her appear at the tree line and I was so thankful. For a brief moment I thought everything was alright." She got quiet for a moment, her eyes saying so much more than she could possibly try to express with words. Her eyes left his briefly and fixated on his shoulder and the blood all over his shirt. "I saw the blood all over her and I freaked out thinking she'd been hurt. That's when she told me," she explained. "That's when she told me what she'd done to you," she said meeting his eyes once more.

"I told Sage to follow the road back. Daryl was waiting for her," Jack said more to himself than to Carly. Obviously that was why Daryl hadn't shown up. It still didn't explain why Margo hadn't sent anyone.

"I couldn't loose you. Not now… not after everything we've been through." Carly continued. Her soft voice interrupted his train of thought and he focused on her once more. He could see the fear still in her eyes as she gazed at him. He lifted her chin with his hand as he smiled down at her.

"I'm not going anywhere," he promised. He kissed her forehead while his thumb caressed her cheek. It gently grazed the side of her mouth and he felt her lips part. He pulled back and looked into her eyes once more. No more words were needed.

Jack leaned down slowly and paused for a brief second so that his lips hovered just above hers. Her sweet breath felt hot against his face as it escaped just moments before his mouth covered hers. He kissed her slowly, taking his time. For they had all the time in the world. Time stopped and everything faded away as it always did when they were together.

Inside the cabin was an entirely different scene. Julia's body lay at an odd angle where she'd fallen. The gun she'd been holding now lay a few feet from her hand. The gunshot wound was still oozing blood as it pooled on the ground next to her. To someone just happening upon the gruesome scene, one would think she was dead. However, that was not the case. Her eyes flew open as she tried to take a deep breath. It was too painful, however. So instead her breaths were short and labored as she struggled to realize what had happened. She remembered Jack and the exchange between him and his daughter. She remembered the young girl pushing her and trying to run away and she remembered firing her gun. Panic shot through her. Had she really shot Jack? Slowly, the events continued to unfold in her mind's eye. She'd brought him into the cabin and they had talked but then they were interrupted by _her_. _She_ had found them. She hadn't anticipated that at all. White hot rage shot through her. Or was it the pain from the bullet wound in her chest? No matter. She could feel the adrenaline fill her and she used it. She lifted her head and looked around the cabin. She was alone. Jack had left her alone. Left her to die…

_Back outside the cabin…_

Jack's hand wound its way around Carly's neck where he threaded his fingers through her hair. His lips parted as his kiss became more demanding. What had started out as something meant to give her comfort and assurance that he was never going to leave her, became something else entirely. She needed him. Needed what his love gave her… a strength she'd never known she was capable of until she'd met him all those years ago in Montana. Carly's hands cupped the sides of his face as she flicked the tip of her tongue against his, eliciting a moan from Jack. Without thinking, she let one hand slide down his neck and over his broad shoulders. Jack immediately broke off the kiss and winced in pain.

"Oh Jack! I'm so sorry," she apologized quickly. "I didn't mean to hurt you. I just got carried away," she said sheepishly. She pulled away and immediately started to try and attend the wound. "We need to get you to a doctor," she said looking back up at him.

"I'll be fine," he gave her a weak smile. "Besides, I can't go anywhere until Daryl or Margo gets here," he told her. He tried reaching into his jean pocket to grab his phone but it was on the side of his injured shoulder and he only ended up causing himself more discomfort.

"Can you get my phone for me?" he asked her, breathing heavily through the pain. Carly reached into his pocket and withdrew the phone handing it to him. He dialed Daryl's phone and waited.

Julia tried sitting up, but the pain was excruciating. Instead she rolled over and slowly crawled to the chair and used it to pull herself up. She began to cough after having overexerted herself. She could taste the metallic tinge on her tongue. Reaching up with a hand, she wiped her mouth and saw the blood left behind on her hand. She could feel the warm blood trickling down as it continued to seep into her clothes and somewhere in the back of her mind she knew her fate had been sealed. A part of her was relieved. The small, almost non-existent part of her that had been wadded up and pushed to the farthest corner of her mind. Knowing that the inner turmoil she'd put upon herself was nearing an end. However, the part of that had driven all her actions and had shaped her into the person she now was, was still in control. That part wasn't ready to give up and concede defeat. Her resolve kicked in as she reached out for the gun and staggered to her feet…

Carly was tending to Jack, attempting to try and apply pressure in order to slow down the bleeding. Her back was to the cabin and so she didn't see the door open slowly. Jack was preoccupied with his concern for Carly and getting a hold of Daryl. He had eyes only for his wife as he leaned in and kissed her temple.

Julia stood in the shadows of the doorway and observed the scene unfolding in front of her. Neither of them showed any concern or thought about her condition. As far as they were concerned she was already dead. A million images flashed before her eyes. She'd known it all along. His heart had always belonged to Carly. From the moment she'd seen them together for the first time in Chicago, she'd known. She'd seen the way he'd looked at her. Heat, passion, desire… all of them burning behind those dark brown eyes. She'd seen it and wanted it. She wanted him to look at her that way. She didn't even know him at all, but yet she still craved what he would never be able to give her. Later on when they'd returned to Oakdale, she'd catch him at times, watching Carly from a distance. The hunger still alive and well within his heart. Sure, he'd told her that it was over between them but a part of her knew deep down inside that that wasn't true. After Winston had come and claimed Carly once again, she believed that finally Jack would be hers and hers alone. Only that hadn't worked out the way it was supposed to have. She had returned and it was as if no time had passed. Nothing had changed for him… he still loved _her_.

_Fine_, she thought to herself. If they were meant to be together forever, then that's what will happen. _In life and in death they can be together_, she smiled. She took a few steps out of the cabin and squinted as her eyes were having a hard time adjusting to the brightness of the sun peeking out from behind the clouds. She raised the hand that held her gun to shield her face. She reached out for the porch rail to steady herself. It was taking all the strength she had left to make it this far. She would not give in to weakness. She leaned against it as her breathing became more and more labored. The gun knocked against the rail.

Normally the small noise would have been absorbed by all the other sounds but Jack's senses were on high alert. He snapped his head up in the direction of the cabin and he almost couldn't believe his eyes. Julia was standing there, gun in hand, on the porch. Jack dropped his phone immediately and grabbed Carly by the arm and pulled her behind him in one swift motion. With his bad arm he reached for his weapon, ignoring the searing pain that shot through him like a white hot poker. He switched hands and leveled his gun at Julia.

"Julia… drop the gun," he said as calmly as he could.

Carly stared in horror as she looked over Jack's shoulder towards the cabin. How in the hell had that woman survived? Carly had honestly believed she had killed her when she'd seen her body lying so still on the cabin floor.

"Julia, you don't want to do this. It's over," Jack said to her. Keeping Carly directly behind him, he maneuvered so that the road leading away from the cabin was direction behind them. He leaned back and quietly spoke to Carly.

"When I tell you to, I want you to run as fast as you can away from here and call Margo," he whispered.

"I can't leave you," Carly whispered back to him.

"I won't argue with you, Carly. You need to listen to me," he said sternly but still in hushed tones.

As much as she hated it, she knew she needed to listen to him. Her hands were resting on either side of his waist and she gave him a slight squeeze by way of agreeing to his request.

Julia propped herself up and slowly made her way down the stairs of the cabin porch. She nearly collapsed at the bottom but caught herself. Jack continued to slowly back away from Julia keeping his gun trained on her.

"That's far enough Julia," he warned her.

Julia began to laugh but it quickly turned into a cough and blood trickled out of the corner of her mouth. "What are you going to do Jack? Shoot me?" she spat at him. "That's already been taken care of. I'm not too concerned about that now," she said glaring at Carly.

"Go! Now!" Jack ordered Carly.

Carly took off running as fast as she could down the dirt road.

"Get back here!" Julia choked out as she raised her arm and aimed.

Carly kept her eyes dead ahead as she sprinted away from the cabin, Julia and Jack. Turning the corner, she heard a gunshot ring out. She came to halt immediately as fear of the unknown took hold of her. Images of Jack lying lifeless on the ground haunted her vision as hot tears stung her eyes. She'd promised Jack she would call for help and so she quickly pulled her phone out of her pocket. With shaking hands she pulled up Margo's number while continuing to fight against the awful images filling her head. She squeezed her eyes shut in an attempt to block them from her mind. Another sound broke the eerie silence of the warm summer day and she opened her eyes tried to focus on what she was seeing. After everything that had happened, something as ordinary as a car driving towards her seemed very out of place. It took a minute for it to sink in as the car drove came closer and closer. Her hand dropped to her side as the phone call was forgotten. She backed up out of the center of the road as the car pulled to a stop beside her. Relief washed over her as Daryl's face leaned out the car window.

"Carly! What are you doing here?" he asked looking her over. He saw the blood on her clothes and had a horrible feeling. "Are you hurt? Where's Jack?" he asked looking back up into her face.

"He's back at the cabin," she said pointing back in the direction she'd just come from. Her hand was shaking and silent tears fell on her cheeks. "He's back there with Julia. He's been shot," she stammered. She could feel the panic rising in her throat and she felt like she was going to throw up. "Please help him," she begged.

"Listen to me Carly. Margo and the other officers are on their way. Stay right here and wait for them. I'll go help Jack," he told her.

Carly could only nod as she looked back toward where the cabin lay hidden behind the curve of the road.

Daryl pulled away from her and drove around the corner coming to a stop behind Jack's car. He pulled out his gun and cautiously stepped out of the car looking around for any sign of Jack or Julia. He crept closer and then stopped for a moment when he saw Jack bending over the body of Julia.

He stood up and walked over slowly to Jack who heard his approach. Jack stood up and looked back Daryl acknowledging his presence. Daryl looked him over and sort of shook his head. Jack looked awful. He could tell by the way he was holding himself that the gunshot wound was a nasty one. There were dark circles under his eyes and he looked about ten years older than he actually was. Jack dragged a hand through his hair as Daryl came to a stop next to him and looked down at the lifeless body on the ground.

"Is she…" Daryl began.

"Dead? Yes," Jack said quietly. "Did you see Carly?" he asked looking at his friend.

"Yeah. She'll be fine. I'm a little concerned about you, though."

"Don't worry about me," Jack said cutting him off as he turned and walked away from Julia.

"Margo's on her way," he informed him.

Jack's only response was a brief nod. Guilt consumed him. Guilt over what this whole thing had done to his family and more specifically to Carly. And guilt about Julia. That he'd been the cause of all her pain and suffering. That because of him she'd felt the need to do all of this. He stood there looking up into the trees. It was a warm day but he felt cold. A tiny breeze wafted through the leaves and the sunlight sparkled like diamonds through the full greenery. He could hear Daryl on the phone and turned once more in Julia's direction. He shook his head, saddened by what had become of her. There had been a time, a long time ago, that he had hoped that with the right help she might be able to move on with her life and start over. That had never happened. His senses still alert, he heard the tiny kick of a rock and turned quickly to see Carly walking slowly around the corner. Her steps were tentative and he knew she was afraid of the scene that might greet her. Their eyes locked instantly and he could see the relief wash over her.

"Jack," she whispered hardly daring to believe what she was seeing. Her G-Man standing right in front of her. A little worse for wear, but alive.

He gave her a small, sad smile and opened his arms in invitation. He ignored the pain and grabbed hold of her as she rushed into his arms. He held her as she cried against his neck, stroking her back and assuring her that finally everything was going to be ok.


	59. Chapter 59

Chapter Fifty-nine

It had been nearly three weeks since the final confrontation with Julia at the cabin. Jack, Carly and the kids had decided to continue to stay at Lily's rather than go to the farm as originally planned. Lily had insisted that they stay and since they had already had everything set up, it hadn't taken much convincing on her part. Their house in Milltown was still under reconstruction, though it was coming along quite quickly considering how much had needed to be rebuilt. Rosanna had outdone herself in regards to the remodel and had spared no expense in order to get it done as quickly as possible.

School was beginning its final week of the year and all the kids in the Snyder clan were more than ready for the summer holiday. Parker's graduation was in just a few days and he was very excited to finish this chapter of his life so he could begin the next. Faith had become rather moody as a result. She was worried about what it meant for her and Parker when he headed off to the Academy in the fall.

As for Jack and Carly things had settled down but there had been an underlying tension ever since that fateful day at the cabin. While being more than relieved that the whole sordid mess with Julia was behind them, they both still had more healing to do. Perhaps it was the fact that they were staying at Lily's or it might have been that they really never talked about what had happened. Whatever the reason, Carly knew that once they were in their own house again things would finally feel alright and the real healing would begin.

It was mid-afternoon on Monday and Jack was sitting at his desk going through his case files. He was due in court in about an hour for a case unrelated to Julia. Margo walked into the station and made a beeline toward Jack.

"Hey. Can we talk?" she asked not really waiting for an answer as she headed into the interrogation room.

Jack stood up from his chair and followed her in. Guessing from her tone that she'd want a private conversation, he shut the door behind him and turned around to face her.

"What's up?" he asked.

"I just officially closed the case on Julia."

Jack felt a huge invisible weight disappear from his shoulders.

"Charlotte Lindsey is requesting that Julia's body be brought to her in New York," Margo said quietly.

Jack sighed and felt the weight return almost immediately. Charlotte Lindsey. There was someone he didn't want to ever have to see again. That woman cared nothing about her daughter unless it was convenient for her. She hadn't really believed that there had been anything mentally wrong with Julia and only helped to fuel her psychotic nature rather than try and actually get her some real help.

"You want me to accompany the body?" Jack asked almost reluctantly.

"No. Daryl has volunteered to do that. It's the FBI's case and he needs to head back to Washington anyway, so he volunteered to do this first. I just thought you'd want to know…"

"Because you figured I'd want to be there," Jack finished for her.

Margo didn't reply but he could see in her face that he'd surmised correctly.

"It should be me," he said quietly. He'd been the one to kill her. He should bring her to her mother.

"No it _shouldn't_ be you, Jack. Like I said, Daryl is taking her because it's not our case. The FBI is dealing with it. If you feel like you need to do this, then you can go with him."

"When is he leaving?"

"Tomorrow."

Jack took a deep breath. He was frustrated for various reasons. Firstly, Jack had enjoyed having a partner again. He hadn't realized how much he'd missed it. Also, just having Daryl around as a friend had been nice. He didn't know how he would have survived if Daryl hadn't been here to help keep him focused. From the moment he and Daryl had first met all those years ago, he'd known they'd always be good friends. Everything else aside, the thing that bothered him most was the thought of having to go home and try to explain to Carly why he felt he needed to do this. They really hadn't talked about what had happened. Jack had tried a couple of times but Carly had brushed the topic aside and Jack had decided it was best not to push for now. Perhaps this would be the catalyst to get them talking. He hoped like hell she would understand why he needed to do this…

"Alright. I'll go with him," he told her.

"I figured you would," Margo said giving him a half-hearted smile.

"Would you mind if I took an extra couple of days off?" he asked. Margo gave him a questioning look and Jack spoke again to clarify.

"I thought I'd fly to New York with Daryl to drop off Julia's body and then head to Washington to say goodbye to Daryl and to personally thank the FBI for their help. And then…" he started as he averted his eyes and looked down at his feet sheepishly. "…I could use the extra day or two to make it up to Carly."

Margo chuckled. "Yeah, if I know Carly, you're going to have your hands full explaining this to her tonight."

"You have no idea," Jack said shaking his head. "Plus, Parker's graduation in on Friday night."

"No problem, Jack. Why don't you take the rest of the week off. You can spend some time with your family and we'll see you back here Monday morning," she said patting him on the shoulder as she headed toward the door.

"I'm going to be out of the station the rest of the afternoon. The commissioner wants to talk to me about hiring a few officers after what happened with Officer Fitzpatrick. And don't even start Jack," Margo scolded him sounding more like a big sister than his commanding officer. "Julia is to blame for all of this, not you."

"I know, I know," Jack said quietly.

"Good. I hope you remember that. Have a safe trip and I'll see you next week," she smiled as she left the interrogation room.

Jack had an appointment of his own in court that he needed to attend and so he too left the interrogation room and quickly filed the papers on his desk before grabbing his coat and heading for the door.

_Across town at Lily's…_

Carly and Lily sat in the living room going through the boxes of items salvaged from the Milltown house. Surprisingly most of the damage was done to the rooms upstairs and most of the precious and irreplaceable things like photos and such were downstairs and many were able to be saved. All of them needed to be cleaned or touched up but Carly was thankful that so many things were rescued. The thought of Parker and Sage's baby pictures being lost forever nearly killed Carly.

"I can't believe how much stuff was recovered," Lily said for what seemed like the hundredth time.

"I know. I'm so relieved… you have no idea," Carly said emotionally.

She smiled as she picked up a photo of Parker about three years old. He was sitting in a barber's chair and Hal was standing behind him with a proud, but goofy grin. It had been Parker's first big boy haircut. Hal had taken the photo through the reflection of the mirror and they both were waving to the camera. Carly heart twisted and felt tears begin to well in her eyes at the memory of Hal. He had been taken from them far too soon. She carefully placed the photo in a pile containing other photos next to her and continued to sift through the box.

A knock sounded at the door and Lily got up to answer it. She returned a short time later with Rosanna following behind her.

"What's all this?" Rosanna asked sitting herself down next to Carly on the sofa.

"Just some more stuff they were able to recover from the house," Carly said as she pulled out another pile of photos. Carly handed one of the photos to Rosanna.

"I love this photo!" Rosanna grinned. It was taken at Jack and Carly's wedding the year before. Rosanna, Molly and Gwen were all standing around Carly, who was in the center with her arms wrapped around Sage. It was one of the few family pictures that Carly had with her sisters, cousin and her daughter… just the girls. "Why don't I have a copy of this?" she frowned looking back at Carly.

"I meant to give one to each of you but I never got around to it," Carly explained. "Sorry. I promise I'll get you one," she assured her.

"You'd better. Now that I've seen it, I'll be able to pester you about it," she grinned.

"What brings you by?" Carly asked her as she sat back against the sofa taking a break from all the sorting.

"I have news about the finish date of the house," Rosanna told her as her eyes lit up with excitement.

"Really?" Carly said sitting up straight. The thought that their house would be ready sooner than expected was something Carly desperately needed to hear.

"Mr. Corbett just informed me that your house will be finished on Wednesday!"

"Oh Carly, that's great news!" Lily smiled. "Not that I haven't enjoyed having you all here," she added quickly not wanting her words to be taken out of context.

Carly laughed. "It is fantastic news and I'm sure you're more than ready to have your house to yourself again," Carly reassured her friend. "Thank you so much Rosanna for everything. I really appreciate all the time and money you spent doing all of this."

"I've already told you, you don't need to thank me. We're sisters and that's what sister's do."

Carly turned and stared at her sister with a raised eyebrow.

"Well alright… we're not your typical sister relationship. It took us many, _many_," she added for effect, "years to get to where we are. But we have and I for one am grateful. I spent too much time being bitter and resentful and I refuse to live that way anymore," Rosanna stated matter-of-factly.

"We both spent too much time worried about what the other had and not enough time being grateful for what was already ours," Carly said.

"I think it's wonderful that you both were able to find a way to become family. I have to say that I honestly didn't think that it was possible having witnessed those earlier years," Lily told them.

"I must admit that I'm not proud of some of the things I did," Rosanna said softly.

"It's in the past, so let's leave it there," Carly suggested.

"Well then getting back to the good news, how excited is Jack going to be?" Lily asked her.

"I'm sure he'd be thrilled," Carly said slyly.

"What do you mean by that?" Rosanna asked her.

"I think I'd like to surprise him."

"How do you plan on doing that?" Lily asked.

"I'm glad you asked Lily because I'm going to need some help with that," Carly grinned.

"Here we go again," Rosanna said rolling her eyes.

"Are you going to give me a hard time after all those sweet words you just said about being sisters?" Carly kidded her.

"Oh I suppose not. What exactly did you have in mind?"

"Nothing you won't be thrilled to do. I thought perhaps that I would surprise Jack by bringing him to the house Wednesday night and he and I could stay there. You know… just the two of us," she said slightly blushing.

"Oh… now I see," Lily giggled. "That sounds like a great idea."

"So you just need us to keep it a secret?" Rosanna asked.

"Well, I am going to need help getting things set up like the furniture."

"That's what delivery drivers are for," Rosanna stated simply. "Anything else?"

"I would need someone to take care of Michael for the night."

"I'd love to," both Rosanna and Lily said in unison.

"I knew you'd both have no problems with that task," Carly laughed.

All three sat around and plotted and planned their strategy to get everything done that needed to be in the next few days. It was about an hour later that Jack walked into the house and found them all sitting around the kitchen table. He'd heard the laughter from the hallway but silence greeted him the moment he entered the kitchen. Three sets of eyes turned and faced him.

"Hello ladies. Am I interrupting something?"

"Of course not," Carly said jumping up and wrapping her arms around his waist.

"Why do I get the feeling that's not entirely accurate?" Jack grinned as he leaned down and planted a kiss on his wife's cheek.

"Quit being such a cop Jack," Lily teased him.

"It was just some girl talk. Nothing to interest you," Rosanna chimed in.

"Uh huh. Ok, whatever you _girls_ say," Jack said with a smirk.

Carly decided to change the subject. "You're home earlier than I was expecting you. I thought you had to go to court today," she said wiggling his tie. Normally Jack didn't wear one to the station unless he was due in court.

"I did. It didn't take nearly as long as I anticipated so I knocked off early. Is that a problem? Did you want me to go back to work?" he asked as he began pulling away from her.

"Absolutely not! You're not going anywhere for the rest of the night," she said possessively as she leaned into him. Her bright blue eyes sparkled mischievously up at him.

"That sounds good to me," Jack said huskily. "Excuse us ladies… I'd like to kiss my wife," Jack said to Lily and Rosanna. He spun Carly around so that his back was to the other women. Carly flashed him a brilliant smile before his mouth descended on hers.

"Mmmm… I've been thinking about doing that all day," Jack said against her lips.

Carly opened her mouth to reply, but a cry from the baby monitor interrupted her.

"I'll get him," Rosanna said immediately. "You two go back to what you were doing."

"I'll go check on Ethan," Lily said giving Jack and Carly some privacy.

"Alone at last. I thought those two would never leave," he whispered against her neck as he kissed the long slender column. His breath was hot against her flesh and Carly was quickly loosing all coherent thought.

"It will… be nice… to… uhh… be back… in our… own house," she sighed as she leaned back giving him full access to the spot.

Jack backed her up against the counter as he continued his assault on her neck. His hands began to roam freely all over her. Carly reached out and hooked her fingers in his belt loops and pulled closer enjoying the delicious sensations being created between their bodies.

Unfortunately the sound of raised voices broke the moment. Jack reluctantly pulled back and smirked down at his wife. "I love coming home to you," he said sweetly.

Carly laughed as the source of the voices walked into the kitchen.

"I told you I'd get her drink for her," Parker said irritated.

"What's the big deal?" JJ argued back. "It's just a glass of water and I was already heading to the kitchen."

"Yeah right. _Is there anything I can get for you Faith_? Give me a break," Parker said sarcastically. "You've been trying to get Faith's attention ever since you've been back."

"I have not! Faith and I are friends. You're just jealous because she thinks I'm funnier than you and she laughs at all my jokes and not yours," JJ retorted.

"What's going on?" Jack asked turning to his older boys.

"Dad… Mom… I didn't know you were in here," JJ stammered.

"Well that's obvious," Carly retorted. "You two need to knock it off. There are a lot of people in this house and they don't need to be listening to this," Carly said with a wave of her hand.

"Please tell JJ that he needs to grow up and find a girl of his own to flirt with," Parker shot out as he grabbed a glass of water for Faith and turned and disappeared from the kitchen.

"That's not what was going on," JJ spat back.

"Easy," Jack warned. "Boy oh boy you two sure have fallen back in old habits pretty quick."

"Parker started all this. He can't stand Faith and I spending any time together."

"She is his girlfriend. How would you feel if the roles were reversed? Would you like your girlfriend spending time with another guy?" Jack asked him.

"I'm his brother. He needs to relax," JJ countered.

"Brother or not, she's still his girlfriend."

"Besides, you know all the stuff that happened with Parker and Liberty the last couple of years. You should give him a break," Carly urged. The thought of Liberty caused Carly's thoughts to drift to the young girl's mother. Carly shuddered. She was so glad to be rid of those two.

Jack caught the subtle change in Carly's body language and knew exactly where's her mind had wandered. He leaned over and shook his head teasingly and kissed her cheek.

"Stop it," he laughed.

"I can't help it," Carly said giving him a guilty grin.

"Am I missing something?" JJ asked confused.

"No. Nothing at all," Carly smiled.

JJ shrugged his shoulders and head back out of the kitchen.

"Please try and get along with your brother," Jack shouted to him before he got out of earshot.

"The perks of being a parent," Carly laughed.

"I wouldn't trade it for the world," Jack smiled back at her.

Feeling that she was in a good mood, Jack decided to broach the subject of him leaving with Daryl. "So… I got some interesting news at work today," Jack said casually as he grabbed a glass and poured himself some ice tea from the fridge.

"Margo officially closed the case on Julia. The FBI is taking her body back to her mother in New York tomorrow," he said softly. He gave her a moment for that to sink in before he continued.

Carly had become quiet as she listened to Jack. She kept her eyes averted refusing to make eye contact. She knew if she did she'd see something she didn't want to see. Guilt. She could already hear it in his voice. Despite everything that woman had done to terrorize their family, he still felt guilty for what had happened.

"I was thinking…" he paused, trying to steel his nerves. "I was thinking that I'd go with Daryl tomorrow."

"Go with Daryl where?" Rosanna asked walking into the kitchen carrying Michael.

Carly looked up at her sister's voice and hurried over to take Michael from her.

"Daryl is taking Julia's body to her mother back in New York before he heads home to Washington," Jack said quietly.

"And apparently Jack feels he needs to go too," Carly bit out quickly before leaving the kitchen.

"Daryl's leaving tomorrow?" Rosanna asked again unable to fathom what she'd just heard. Why hadn't Daryl told her himself? Why was she randomly hearing it from Jack?

Jack was too concerned about Carly to notice that Rosanna was clearly upset. He walked past his sister-in-law and followed Carly out into the living room. She was sitting on the sofa nursing Michael.

"I think we should talk about this," Jack urged gently.

"Apparently there's nothing to discuss. You've already decided that you're going regardless of how I feel about it. What's the point of talking?" Carly said, finally looking up at him. Jack could see the hurt behind her eyes and it pained him to know that he'd put it there. He opened his mouth to reply, but Rosanna cut him off.

"Carly I need to go," she said walking into the living room. She was clearly still upset over the unexpected news. She hurried over to her and kiss her cheek before grabbing her purse and heading for the door.

"Alright. I'll talk to you soon," Carly called after her unable to give her sister the attention she needed. Her thoughts were still focused on the news of Jack needing to deal with the Julia situation.

Jack sat down on the sofa next to her and stayed quiet as he watched her nurse the baby.

Carly focused all her attention on the small child, purposely avoiding looking at him knowing that doing so would only make her angrier. She hated that he felt even the slightest bit of guilt over Julia. Not that it came as a shock to her. She knew Jack. Knew that it was inevitable that he'd feel this way. However knowing it didn't make it any easier to accept.

"I'm sorry you're upset. I hope that you can try and understand," he began.

"You want me to understand why you still feel the need to look out for the woman who kidnapped your son, blew up your house and nearly killed both of us? Really? That's asking an awful lot Jack. I'm sorry but not all of us can be as forgiving as you," she said snidely finally looking at him. "When I think about what she could have done," her voice broke as she turned her attention back to Michael. "How can you still defend her after everything that's happened?" Carly could feel the tears welling in her eyes and it only added fuel to her anger. She closed her eyes to try and push the anger away not wanting to let her take hold of her, especially when she was holding the baby.

Jack sat stunned on the sofa. Did she honestly believe he was defending Julia's actions? Frustration and realization collided and he ran a hand through his hair. "Carly I'm not defending Julia," he stated adamantly.

"Oh no? Then why do you feel guilty about what happened? She deserved to die for what she did. She killed a lot of people. She could have killed Michael and she nearly killed you!" Carly cried out as the tears fell freely down her cheeks.

"Oh honey, please don't cry. It's going to be alright," he said scooting closer and wrapping his arm around her shoulders. He reached out and wiped away the tears with his other hand. "I think you're misunderstanding me. I don't feel guilty about killing Julia."

Carly opened her mouth to argue that point but Jack cut her off.

"No Carly, listen to me. Honestly, I have no guilt over killing her. She was a threat to you and the kids and I'd do it again if I had to. I do feel some guilt but not in the way you think. I feel guilty that Officer Fitzpatrick, Agent McNamara and an innocent couple lost their lives in this whole mess that I created a long, long time ago. _I_ created this situation Carly. My stubborn Snyder pride got the best of me and I created the monster that terrorized us."

"Jack, you need to let Julia be responsible for her own actions. You tried to get her help. You tried to reason with her but nothing worked. It's not your fault and you have to stop doing this to yourself."

"I understand that. But that's not the only reason I wanted to go with Daryl. I hadn't realized how much I'd missed having a real partner. Having Daryl here, despite the reason, was great. I wanted to be able to say goodbye to him and I figured I'd thank the FBI for all their help as well."

"But what about Charlotte Lindsey? How do you plan on facing her? You know she's just waiting for the chance to let you have it."

"I did kill her daughter," Jack said as if that were reason enough.

"We both shot her Jack," Carly said quietly.

"Yes we did. Something we haven't really discussed since it happened. Are you ready to talk about it?"

"I don't know what we really need to discuss. She was going to kill you and I wasn't going to let that happen. It's not the first time I've shot somebody," she said recalling the last time she'd fired a gun at someone. She'd shot and killed Kit Fowler after she'd shot Jack.

"I know. But this is a little different."

"What do you want me to say? Do I think about it? Yes. Am I sorry? No. If that makes me a horrible person, than I guess I'm a horrible person," she said shrugging her shoulders.

"Is that what you think? That I think you're some terrible person because you don't feel some sort of guilt about what happened?"

"Do you?" The question hung there in the air. Carly sat perfectly still, afraid of what his answer might be.

"Absolutely not. I would never think that about you," he cupped the side of her face and brushed his thumb across her cheek. "I understand exactly what you're going through."

"Really? Because it doesn't feel that way. You're upset over what happened and I'm feeling… relief… that it's finally over."

"Of course I'm relieved. I'm relieved that my family is finally safe and that I don't have to worry as much about them when I'm not at home to protect them. But taking a life, regardless of the circumstance isn't easy. I guess I consider it a waste."

"Julia had an opportunity to get better but she chose not to. You have to accept that and accept the fact that she was not your responsibility, Jack."

"You're right. Julia chose not to get better and there wasn't anything that I could have said or done to change that," he said giving her a small smile.

Carly looked up in to the face of her husband and she knew that he still planned on going tomorrow. However, hearing him finally say those words helped make that choice easier to accept.

"Thank you," she smiled back at him.

"For what?" he asked softly pushing a strand of her back away from her face.

"For getting me to talk about all this. You were right, we did need to talk about it."

He grinned at her. "Everything will always work out if we continue to promise to talk to each other." He leaned in and rubbed his nose against her cheek before giving her a soft kiss.

"I promise," she whispered turning her head so that he lips brushed against his.

_At the Lakeview…_

Daryl had finished packing his suitcase for his trip tomorrow. He was really looking forward to it. He'd just come from meeting with Margo and the Commissioner. He had spoken with the Commissioner last week about the possibility of transferring out of the FBI and to the Oakdale PD. After reconnecting with Jack and seeing that he'd found a life outside the bureau, he'd realized that he too wanted more for his life. Meeting Rosanna had only furthered that desire for a life beyond work.

Margo had been stunned by the request but was more than happy to offer him a position. She knew that being able to land another federally trained officer was a huge asset to the department. Plus, seeing how Daryl and Jack worked so well together was just another added bonus. Daryl had asked her to let him give Jack the good news himself. Margo had informed him that Jack planned on accompanying him to New York and Washington. So Daryl figured he'd share the news with him on the flight. As for Rosanna, they hadn't discussed the possibility of him moving to Oakdale. He'd wanted to wait until after he had a chance to talk to the Commissioner and Margo first. The last thing he wanted was for him to get his hopes set on moving only to be denied. Daryl quickly grabbed his dress coat and headed downstairs to the lounge. He was supposed to have met up with Rosanna about 10 minutes ago and he hated the thought of her waiting for him. Especially with the knowledge that Craig Montgomery could be lurking around. He quickly checked his hair in the mirror and hurried out the door to the elevator.

A short time later Daryl walked into the lounge and his eyes roamed around the room until they landed on their prize. Rosanna sat alone at a table in the corner. She'd been fiddling with the silverware on the table and happened to glance up and caught his eye. He smiled brilliantly at her and made his way across the room toward her. In his excitement about his news he didn't noticed that she hadn't returned his smile.

"I'm sorry I'm late. I was upstairs and I lost track of time. I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long," he said sweetly leaning over and kissing her cheek before sitting down across from.

"No, I haven't been waiting too long," she said solemnly.

"Well good. I wanted to talk you. I have some news," he said excitedly.

"Yes. I heard all about it from Jack," she cut him off quickly. She looked up at him and noticed that he was practically bursting with excitement. That hurt more than she wanted to admit. Clearly their time together had meant nothing to him. He obviously was looking forward to returning home. Well, she'd be damned if she'd allow him to see how much that actually upset her.

Daryl was disappointed. He'd asked Margo not to say anything. Apparently that hadn't happened.

"Oh. I was hoping that I would be the one to tell you," he said deflated.

"Well, Jack beat you to it," she said coldly.

Daryl was confused. He could see that something was bothering her but he wasn't sure what was going on. He'd been positive that she would have been happy to hear that he was staying in Oakdale. Perhaps he'd been wrong. There was only one way to find out for sure.

"So… how do you feel about it?" he asked hopeful.

Rosanna met his eyes defiantly. What was he hoping to see from her? Was he expecting her to cry? For her to beg him not to go?

"It doesn't really matter either way to me," she said with a shrug of her shoulders. She could tell by the look on his face that that hadn't been the answer he'd anticipated. _Good_, she thought to herself. _Serves him right_.

"I see. I guess I thought you'd be happy," he said curtly.

"Well you thought wrong." She could feel the hot tears begin to pool, so she looked away quickly before standing up. "Something's come up and I can't stay for dinner."

Daryl stood up and stared at her. "Rosanna… I think we should talk about this," he said softly, not wanting the evening to end this way.

"I'm sorry but I have to go. I have an important conference call." She looked into his sad eyes and resisted the urge to throw herself into his arms and beg him to stay. However, she refused to be weak. She was done with that. Too many of her relationships had resulted in that kind of behavior. "I'll see you around," she said raising her chin with as much bravado as she could muster under the circumstances. She turned and walked away.

"Rosanna! Please don't leave like this," he called out to her without success. He watched as she disappeared around the corner.

"Dammit," he said under his breath. That hadn't worked out at all like he'd wanted it to. He'd made the decision to stay in Oakdale with the hopes that Rosanna would be a part of his new life. Now, the reality was much different. This new life was going to be excruciating. Seeing her around town would no longer be something he looked forward to, it would be torture. He walked over to the bar and ordered a whiskey. The bartender quickly produced a shot glass full of the amber liquid and he quickly drank it down. He left a twenty on the counter and quickly headed back to the elevators and up to his room.

Back in the lounge, at the other end of the bar sat Craig. Having witnessed the entire scene between Rosanna and Daryl play out, a huge smile appeared on his face as he reveled in the other's gentleman's misery.


	60. Chapter 60

**Chapter Sixty**

Jack sat at his desk at the station finishing up a few reports before he was to leave for the airport. He sat sipping his coffee as he read over the same sentence for what seemed the fifth time. His eyes kept wandering to the picture of Carly on his desk. A smile lifted the corners of his mouth as he thought back to the night before…

_It was after dinner and Parker and JJ had made peace after the incident earlier in the day. Parker had suggested that he, JJ, Faith and a friend of hers all go to the mall or a movie. Of course, Parker's actions hadn't been completely unselfish in nature. He had hoped that perhaps JJ would find someone else to give his attention to rather than Faith. Jack told them that even though school was almost out, they still needed to be home by 10pm. Sage and Natalie had headed upstairs to watch a movie and Lily took Ethan to give him a bath before bed. Jack and Carly set to work cleaning up the dishes from dinner until a cry from Michael sent Carly scurrying upstairs. Jack finished the kitchen on his own and then joined Carly in their room to begin packing for his trip._

_Jack had hoped to have some alone time with Carly before he had to leave. However, the baby had other ideas. Jack and Carly had taken turns walking and rocking with him into the wee hours of the morning. Jack woke up with his alarm to find his wife still in the chair asleep with Michael resting peacefully in her arms. Jack smiled at the scene. Carly was such a natural at being a mother and nothing ever seemed to faze her, no matter how exhausted she might be. He got up and out of bed and crossed the room toward her. Gently he eased the baby out of her arms and carried him to his crib. _

"_Noooo, you'll wake the baby," Carly whispered softly though her eyes remained closed. _

_He looked down at the tiny child, but Michael didn't stir once upon being moved and Jack chuckled softly at the irony. He started to reply as he turned around but he found Carly had fallen back to sleep in the chair. Her beauty knew no bounds. Sure she was a knockout when she had on heels, with her hair done up and a dress on that made him ache to take it off. But right now, with her blond curls falling against her creamy shoulders and the soft pink camisole top and her pajama pants… she was perfection. Her cheeks were pink with sleep and her lips were soft and he longed to kiss them. He crossed the room toward her and reached down and picked her up. Instinctively he arms wrapped themselves around his neck and shoulders as she laid her head against him. He carried her over to the bed and laid her down. She reached for the covers and he helped tuck her into bed._

"_What time is it?" she asked sleepily, still not opening her eyes._

"_It's 5:45... I was just about to jump in the shower," he whispered back. "I'm going to miss you," he said softly against the skin of her neck right before he kissed her._

"_You're leaving?" she whispered urgently finally opening her eyes and looking at him._

"_My plane leaves in less than 3 hours… I gotta meet Daryl at the station," he smiled sadly. "But I'll be home in two days."_

_Carly reached up and brushed his cheek. "I'm sorry we didn't get to say goodbye… just the two of us…" she said raising an eyebrow to let him know exactly what she meant. "I promise to make it up to you when you get back," she smiled sleepily up at him._

"_In that case I may just come home tomorrow," he replied before kissing her hungrily. Carly threaded her fingers through his hair and kissed him back. He allowed her to pull him down so that his body lay over hers. His hands dug through the sheets until they found her waist. Her pink top had begun to bunch up and it gave him immediate access to her skin. The contact sent shivers throughout Carly's body and she ached to be closer to him. His hands slid up until the rested alongside her breasts and he gently brushed her nipples with his thumbs, teasing them until they hardened with desire. Carly groaned with pleasure and Jack moaned in response…_

_It was then that Jack's alarm sounded once more. Jack rolled off her quickly to shut it off before it woke the baby. He sat on the other side of the bed and looked back at her. She still lay there with her eyes closed still breathing a little unsteadily. Her lips were parted and swollen from their kiss and he licked his lips, still tasting her on his own._

"_I need to get in the shower," he spoke softly and Carly could hear the regret in his voice._

"_I know," she sighed. "We can finish this when you get home," she smiled at him trying to cheer him up. Knowing that he didn't want to leave made it easier for her to let him go._

"_That's a promise," he said seriously leaning back toward her and kissing her gently on the mouth once more before getting up and heading into the shower…_

Daryl walked into the station, effectively snapping Jack back to the present. Jack watched as he snatched a couple of messages from the desk sergeant before heading toward Jack's desk.

"Hey," Jack said smiling at him. "I didn't think I'd beat you to the station," he joked. "Carly and I had kind of a rough night with Michael and we didn't get a lot of sleep. I was afraid I might sleep through my alarm."

"Yeah, well if you didn't want to come you shouldn't have," Daryl snapped back at him.

"Ummm, that's not what I was saying at all," Jack looked at him. He took a moment and really looked at his friend. He looked awful. Jack may have been up half the night with a new baby, but Daryl was the one who actually looked like he had been. He had dark circles under his eyes and it appeared as if he had decided not to shave that morning. Daryl was normally very fastidious about his appearance. Jack knew that something was bothering him but didn't want to pry. He knew that Daryl would talk about it when he was ready to. Instead, Jack took to straightening up the papers on his desk and downing the rest of his coffee. Daryl picked up on the silence and looked up at his friend.

"I'm sorry I snapped. I'm just upset that I am running so late. I don't mean to take it out on you," he apologized. Daryl was more mad at himself than anything. He felt pathetic. He had once again tried to talk to Rosanna this morning. After Julia had died, both he and Rosanna had moved out of Lily's house and back to the Lakeview. Before he left this morning, he had tried calling her. She hadn't answered her phone and so he decided to try and speak with her face to face. Unfortunately she hadn't answered. This had set his mind to wandering and that was always dangerous. Had he imagined that she had returned his feelings? Perhaps she had left town? Or maybe she'd found someone else to take his possible place in her life? Was that other man Craig? These thoughts were continuously swirling inside his head, threatening to drive him crazy.

Jack smiled at him. "Don't worry about. It's not like I haven't flown off the handle at you a time or two," he laughed. "Consider us even."

"Alright," Daryl conceded with a small smile. "Let's get going."

About an hour later, Jack and Daryl were seated on the plane and cruising on their way to New York. Daryl had the window seat and had spent nearly the entire flight so far staring out the window deep in thought. Jack looked over at him for what seemed like the millionth time and finally decided to try and see if Daryl wanted to talk about what was bothering him.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Jack asked nonchalantly.

"Hmmm?" Daryl mumbled as he turned at the sound of Jack's voice. "What did you say?"

"Did you want to talk or are you going to just sit and brood about Rosanna?"

"What makes you think it has to do with Rosanna? Did she say something to Carly?"

Jack chuckled. "No, but the only reason you'd be acting this way is because a woman has got you all twisted around so you don't even know which way is up. Believe me, I know. Only Carly could ever get me that worked up," he admitted.

Daryl sighed and leaned his head against the back of the seat. All Daryl had done the entire flight so far was replay their conversation from the night before over and over again in his mind.

"So was she upset when you told her you were leaving? Carly wasn't thrilled that I was leaving either. Though I guess in Rosanna's defense it's a little different. I mean I'm coming back in a couple of days and you aren't… at least not right away."

"What are you talking about?" Daryl frowned looking at him. "You know I'm coming back. Margo told you."

"Told me what?" Jack asked frowning back at him. "She told me you were taking Julia's body to her mother's in New York before you headed back to Washington. Why would you need to come back to Oakdale?"

Daryl was thoroughly confused now. He was sure Margo had told Jack since Rosanna had heard the news from Jack and now he was playing dumb. This was not helping his mood. "I spoke with Margo about joining the Oakdale PD. I've given my resignation to the FBI," he explained to Jack.

"What? That's fantastic!" Jack said enthusiastically. "I had no idea. Margo never said anything."

"But Rosanna told me that she heard from you I was leaving," Daryl began but Jack cut him off.

"Yes. I told her that you were heading back to Washington. We both thought it was going to be permanently," Jack explained.

It all began making sense now… at least Daryl hoped it did. Had she been upset because she thought he was leaving and not coming back? A tiny seed of hope planted itself in his mind. He smiled for the first time that day.

"Feeling better now," Jack gave him a knowing look.

Daryl glanced at him and gave him a sheepish grin but didn't say a word. Jack just laughed.

The rest of the flight was much more enjoyable. Daryl explained to Jack that the FBI granted his request for a transfer on the condition that he handle one last case for them. It was involving a man who was going to be a witness for the prosecution for an upcoming trial in Chicago. A lot of money was involved along with some very well known politicians and the man and his wife had already had several attempts made on their life. Daryl would be in charge of their protection until the trial the following month. The FBI decided that perhaps keeping the couple hidden in Oakdale might be a simple solution since no one would think to look for them there and because Daryl was already there and familiar with the area.

About two hours later they were landing in New York and Jack was preparing to see Charlotte Lindsey for what he hoped would be the final time. Jack had asked Daryl if she was aware that Jack had been the one to fatally shoot her. Daryl told him that all Charlotte knew was that the FBI and the local police were involved. Jack hoped that was indeed the case. He didn't want to think about what Charlotte might do if she knew Carly had been involved in anyway…

Jack and Daryl made their way down to where the casket would be delivered to Charlotte. As they approached the room, the door was slightly ajar and Jack could a woman in a black dress suit with hat in the corner of the room surrounded by several gentlemen in dark grey suits, presumably her team of lawyers. Jack's stomach clenched in knots as he hoped to have this done with as quickly as possible. Daryl and Jack quietly entered the room and shut the door behind them. Charlotte stood quietly in the corner with her back to the room. Julia's casket had already been brought in and she stood next to it, gently caressing it with a gloved hand.

"Hello Mrs. Lindsey. I'm Agent Daryl Sullivan with the FBI. First, I wanted to say that I'm sorry for your loss," he said gently.

Charlotte turned around at Daryl's words and nearly voiced a "thank you" to him until her eyes spotted Jack. Immediately a change in body language took place. Her eyes turned cold and she fixed a stare on Jack that spoke volumes. She stood a little straighter and held her head a little higher as if to give the appearance that she was looking down on him even though he far taller than she. He knew that she blamed him for her daughter's death regardless of whether or not she knew he pulled the actual trigger.

"What the hell are you doing here?" she seethed.

"Hello Charlotte," Jack began but she immediately interrupted him.

"Don't you _dare_ speak to me like that! You will address me as Mrs. Lindsey and only when I've spoken directly to you."

"Mrs. Lindsey," Daryl interrupted her. "I understand you're upset but…"

"And don't you start speaking to me in that condescending manner. I have every right to be upset with this man," she argued. "He's the reason my daughter is dead! He's the one who lied and cheated. _He_ should be the one in that casket, not my daughter," she raged.

Jack watched her and saw the uncontrolled hatred in her eyes and he immediately recognized it for he'd seen the exact same look in Julia's face. All the frustration that Jack had felt over Charlotte's lack of concern for her daughter came flooding back.

"Look… if you had cared about Julia all those years ago, then you could have gotten her some real help and maybe none of this would happened," Jack retorted.

"Are you saying this was my fault?" Charlotte challenged him.

"Perhaps this wasn't such a good idea," Daryl interjected, looking at Jack.

"I'm sorry," Jack said regretfully looking at Daryl and then Julia's mother.

"You should be," she shot back with a sneer.

Jack sighed in frustration. "I guess I thought that I…" he said, letting the thought hang in the air.

"You thought what?" she asked glaring at him.

Jack paused for a moment not want to give too much away. "Never mind. It was a mistake. I should have realized that," he said calmly.

Charlotte Lindsey stood there glaring at him, not saying a word.

Daryl decided to break the uncomfortable silence and continue with the formalities. "Mrs. Lindsey, you just need to sign here and here," he said indicating to the documents that needed her signature for the release of the body.

Immediately one of her lawyers picked up the paperwork and skimmed through it before handing it over to her for her to sign. She did so and handed the paperwork back to Daryl. He tucked it neatly into the breast pocket of his jacket and nodded to Jack that they were done. Jack turned toward the door and Daryl followed. As he did so, Charlotte leaned in and whispered something to one of her attorneys. Jack glanced back and she gave him a look that made him pause a moment. Daryl put a hand on his shoulder urging him forward. He had a sinking feeling that they may not have heard the last from Julia's mother. Jack and Daryl made their way in silence up the stairs, toward the front of the airport to catch a cab to Daryl's place. There were plenty of empty cabs waiting outside and within moments they were on their way.

The trip that Jack had initially thought of would be spent saying thank you and goodbye to Daryl instead ended up being one that helped him begin packing and getting ready for his move to Oakdale. They spent nearly the entire next day packing and arranging for Daryl's things to be picked up and shipped to a storage unit in Oakdale until Daryl found a place of his own. Later that night they'd gotten together with several guys from the bureau that Jack had worked with many years ago along with some friends of Daryl's. They'd had a good time talking shop but by now Jack was more than ready to get back home to his kids and wife. Daryl too was looking forward to returning to Oakdale. For a while he'd been dreading it, however now that he believed Rosanna had been misinformed he was anxious to see her again. Daryl had asked Jack not to tell Carly about his plans until after he'd had a chance to speak with Rosanna first. He wanted to be the one to tell her the news.

_Meanwhile, back in Oakdale…_

While Jack and Daryl had spent their day packing… Carly, Lily and Rosanna had spent most of their day unpacking. Finally the house had been finished and Carly had burst into tears upon walking in the front door. Rosanna and Lily had arranged to have all the furniture delivered and set up by the time they brought Carly over to the house. Of course, there had been some major modifications, but for the most part the downstairs was very similar to what it had looked like before. Carly glanced around the room and noticed that up on the mantel was one of the family photos that had miraculously survived. It was the only personal object in the house at the moment but it was enough to make Carly feel at home. Something she hadn't felt in months. After the hugs and tears, the girls set about unpacking the items that were salvaged and decorating with the new items purchased. By the time they were finished for the night, Carly was ready to move in right then and there. However, she wanted to wait until Jack was home so they could spend their first night in the house together…

The day Jack was to come home, Carly had an appointment with Dr. Schiller. The timing of this appointment couldn't have been more perfect. It was Carly's post-partum checkup and Dr. Schiller gave her the all-clear as far as sex goes. It had been nearly six weeks since Michael's birth and despite nearly dying herself, Carly was doing remarkably well. Dr. Schiller said to continue to take it easy but that as long as she was feeling up to it, there shouldn't be any issue in reintroducing sex. With a grin, Carly assured her she was more than ready.

It was while she was in the doctor's office, and her phone was turned off, that Jack called. He'd left her a voice message saying that he'd be home around 6:30pm and that he missed her terribly and couldn't wait to be home. That gave Carly only a few hours to finish getting the house ready, pick up dinner and get Michael and Rosanna settled in at Lily's. Rosanna decided that it was best for her to stay out at Lily's since Michael was familiar with the smell and sounds and that Lily would also be there to help. Lily had arranged to have the Lakeview prepare a meal for them and all Carly needed to do was go and pick it up.

Carly hurried home from the doctor's to finish packing a back for her and Jack for the night. She decided that she'd feed Michael right before she needed to go in order to help make the night go as smoothly as possible. She also had prepared and had left plenty of milk for Rosanna and Lily for the night and part of the next day. When it was time to leave a part of Carly didn't want to go. He was her baby after all, and not being there to comfort him when he woke up would be hard to deal with, but the thought of thought of being alone with Jack made the butterflies in her stomach flutter. It had been months since they'd last been together. Through the tears she kissed Michael on the cheek.

"Mommy is going to miss you so much! But you're going to be just fine here with Aunt Rosanna and Aunt Lily," she cooed to him. Sage came up and wrapped her arms around her mother's waist. Carly reached around and hugged her daughter giving her a kiss on the head. "Plus, you have your big sister Sage to look out for you," she said smiling down at her daughter.

"That's right," Sage chimed in. "Michael's going to be just fine. Tell Dad I say hi," she reminded her mother. Sage didn't like it when her father was away.

"I will sweetie," Carly said giving her a hug. "We'll be back tomorrow to take everyone home," she assured her. Carly still couldn't believe this day had finally arrived.

"I can't wait to see my room," Sage nearly squealed.

"It's absolutely beautiful," Rosanna spoke up as she walked forward to take the baby from Carly. "Your mother did a wonderful job designing it for you."

"Mom is the best designer," Sage said proudly beaming up at her mother.

"Aw honey… thank you," Carly laughed softly. The pride and admiration in her daughter's voice was always touching.

"Alright, I'd better get going. I love you," she said giving Michael a kiss and handing him over to Rosanna. "And I love you too," she said kissing Sage's head once more.

"You need to leave or else you're never going to," Lily laughed.

"Yes, yes you're right," Carly smiled.

"Don't forget to pick up the food," Lily reminded her.

"I won't. Oh, Lily… is the car waiting to pick Jack up at the airport?"

"Yes. Everything is taken care of. Now go or Jack will beat you home."

"And I certainly don't want that," Carly said sincerely as she picked up her bags and headed for the door. "Now, if there is an emergency, please call."

"We will, but there won't be one," Rosanna said gently. "Have a good time," she said with a wink.

"Oh I plan on it," Carly grinned but then remembered Sage was still in the room. She blushed and looked at her daughter. Sage just grinned back. She loved seeing her parents so happy together.

_Meanwhile…_

Jack and Daryl's flight back to Oakdale was much more enjoyable than their previous flight to New York. They spent most of the flight discussing possible locations for Daryl to move into. Once off the plane, Jack checked his phone and saw that Carly had called and that he had a voice message from her.

"_Hi Jack. Hope your flight home was ok. I'm sorry I missed your call. Lily arranged for a car to come pick you up at the airport that way you don't have to take a cab. Missed you and can't wait til you get home. Love you." _

Jack smiled as he listened to the message. He had missed her too and hoped the baby cooperated tonight so they could have some quiet time together. Daryl glanced over at Jack as they headed toward the front of the airport.

"Carly leave you a message?" he asked giving Jack a sideways glance.

"Yup. I guess Lily arranged for a car to pick me up, so you don't have to worry about taking me to the station first to get my car. I'll have the driver drop me off," he told him. "That way you can get back to the Lakeview and see Rosanna." Jack smiled as he watched Daryl's face light up at the prospect of seeing her.

"You really believe she thought I was leaving town for good and that's why she was upset?" Daryl questioned. He hoped like hell that was the case. He had really believed that they had really made a connection. After all, he wouldn't have completely changed his life if that hadn't been the case. They had discovered that they each were lonely and that they wanted the same things out of life. A real home with someone who was not only their lover, but a friend… someone they could rely on. Daryl knew that Rosanna had been hurt in the past. He knew she was tentative about getting involved with anyone. He was too, not for the same reasons as she, but because he hadn't allowed himself to become attached to anyone for so long. They both wanted to make sure they took things slowly but both seemed eager to try something new. He hoped that she still felt the same way. He didn't want to even consider that she might actually not want their relationship to go any further.

"Yes… I'm positive that's it. Don't worry, Rosanna will be thrilled that you're staying here in Oakdale," Jack assured him.

"Alright. Well, I'll see you tomorrow night at Parker's graduation," Daryl said slapping him on the shoulder. "Thanks for coming with me and have a good night," he grinned as he turned and headed for the parking garage.

"I certainly intend to. And the same to you," Jack laughed as he caught sight of the driver holding a sign with his name on it. He walked over and smiled.

"I'm Jack Snyder," he informed the driver.

"Right this way sir," the gentleman said and he headed for the doors. He led Jack to the limo waiting outside and offered to take his bag, but Jack said he'd just throw it on the seat next to him. After getting in and pulling away from the airport they began making their way back into the heart of town.

"You can drop me off at the police station," Jack said to him through the open window.

"Actually sir I have specific instructions to take you elsewhere," the driver replied.

"Where are we headed? Jack asked.

"I've also been instructed to let you know that that information is _classified and only on a need to know basis_," the driver told him in a way that made Jack believe that he was told to relay that bit of information verbatim.

"And let me guess… I don't need to know?" Jack smiled.

"Exactly sir," the driver smiled back.

"Oh Carly what have you got planned?" Jack said quietly to himself, grinning from ear to ear. He relaxed against the backseat of the car and looked out the window at the passing scenery. As the limo drove along, Jack began to realize where he might be headed. Sure enough, a few moments later they turned onto Elm Street and were slowing down as they pulled up to the house. The driver pulled into the driveway and parked. Jack looked out the window and saw that there was a light on downstairs as the driver opened the door for him. Jack grabbed his bag off the seat and slid out of the car. He hadn't seen the house in a couple of weeks and was surprised to see that it looked as if it was completely rebuilt. Jack reached into his pocket and withdrew some money and handed it the driver.

"Thank you," he smiled as he turned and headed for the house.

Jack made his way up the walk to the porch as the driver got back into the car and drove away. He tried peeking in through the window, but there were blinds on the windows and they were closed. He twisted the doorknob and walked into the house. Jack couldn't believe what he was seeing. The entire house was completely furnished from the look of it. Tables, lamps, a new desk, a sofa, dining table, bookcases… all of them set up and arranged. Family pictures and a few knick-knacks here and there. Jack could really see Carly's influence in the design and decorating and knew that each piece had been chosen specifically by her. He glanced around and noticed that there were candles lit around the room, fresh flowers on the table along with service set for two. Jack grinned as he set his bag down and took off his coat. As he draped it over the back of the chair, Carly walked out of the kitchen and into the living room. She stopped short when she saw Jack and her face lit up. She was carrying two platters of food, which she quickly set down on the table before hurrying over to him.

"Jack!" she said enthusiastically wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Why didn't you tell me the house was ready?" Jack asked as he hugged her back, holding her tightly.

"I wanted to surprise you," she whispered in his ear, which sent a shiver down Jack's spine. He twisted his head and kissed her neck which caused Carly to pull him even closer.

"Welcome home Jack," she grinned pulling back to look at him. She touched the side of his slightly stubbled face as she leaned in to give him a kiss.

It's good to be home," he said huskily before his lips touched hers…


	61. Chapter 61

**Chapter Sixty-One**

Carly and Jack finished dinner in their newly remodeled house. Carly told Jack all about the new touches and little things she'd changed here and there. He knew Carly was an amazing designer in all things, but it never ceased to impress him how creative she was.

"You're amazing, you know that?" he said to her matter-of-factly as he kissed her head. He stood up gathering their plates and headed for the kitchen.

Carly grabbed a few of the other dishes and followed him.

"Let me do that sweetheart," he told her as he grabbed the dishes out of her hand. "You go and relax on our new sofa and let me finish this up."

"You don't have to ask me twice," she grinned. Carly headed out of the kitchen and smiled in satisfaction. That had worked out perfectly. Instead of getting comfy on the couch, she headed upstairs.

Jack finished up the dishes about five minutes later and walked into the living room expecting to find his wife relaxing on the sofa. Silence and an empty room greeted him instead.

"Carly?" Jack called out.

"Upstairs," she hollered back.

Jack was excited to take a look around. Carly had promised to give him a tour of the house when they were through with dinner. The hallway was dark except for the light peeking through the crack in the door at the end of the hall. It had been the master bedroom and Jack assumed it still was. He pushed the door open and smiled at the sight waiting for him.

Carly was standing in the center of the room with one of his dress shirts on and what appeared to be nothing else. The top several buttons were undone showing an ample amount of cleavage. Jack's mouth went dry. He wanted her right then and there. The hungry look in her eyes other furthered his desire.

"Do you happen to remember the phone conversation we had?" she asked seductively.

She walked slowly over to him. He reached out for her, but she eluded his grasp. Instead, she walked around behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist, purposely brushing her breasts against his back. Jack's body reacted instantly and he felt his groin tighten in anticipation. She got up on her tiptoes and kissed the back of neck and slowly slid around him so that she was facing him.

"I seem to recall you promising to wear that shirt for me," he replied huskily looking her over. "You have no idea how many times I've pictured you like this since then," he said moistening his lips.

"Oh really?" she purred, rubbing up against him. She leaned up and kissed his neck, placing her hands on his hips. "Why don't you tell me about it," she breathed hotly against his skin.

Jack closed his eyes and moaned in absolute ecstasy. "Carly…" he pleaded, "please tell me that we don't have to stop." He held her hips, pulling her close and grinding against her.

Carly grinned wickedly. "We don't have to stop," she whispered in his ear.

Jack growled his relief as his mouth immediately found her neck. Carly leaned into him and threw her head back savoring his touch. She moaned as he gave her a soft nip on the neck. Jack's hands slid down her hips and over her firm derriere, just at the hem of his shirt. Just like he'd suspected, she had nothing on underneath. He lifted his head to look at her. She met his eyes and read his mind.

Quickly, her fingers found his belt and begun to unbuckle it. His fingers went to his shirt as he started to fumble with the buttons. She was quicker and had his belt and pants undone in a matter of seconds. In his haste, Jack decided the buttons were nothing but an obstacle at this point and ripped the rest of them off. Carly pulled it off his arms as Jack stepped out of his pants and boxers in one swift step. The next had him reaching for Carly and lifting her up as she wrapped her legs around his waist while he walked toward the nearest wall. He pushed her back up against it to brace her and then slowly lowered her until he could feel the moist heat at her center. He paused a moment, looking into her face. She met his gaze. "Yes," she breathed heavily, nodding her head. He entered with one quick thrust, filling her completely.

"Oh God Jack," she panted. She nearly cried with joy. It had been too long.

He thrust deeply only to pull out slowly and deliberately. Over and over again he teased her, bringing her closer and closer to the breaking point. Her nails raked his shoulders urging him to move faster and faster. He kissed and tasted her neck, her shoulder her lips as he drove into her over and over again until he felt her body's release. It seemed like it had been forever since they'd made love. He'd craved the touch, the taste, the feel of her. He didn't want this moment to end. It took every ounce of willpower he had in him not to find his own release. Instead, he lifted her so that he held her completely and then spinning away from the wall, he carried her over to the bed and dropped her down on top of it. Their bodies entwined the entire time. They moved together fluidly so that they both were fully in the center of the bed.

Jack decided to take his time at this point and reacquaint himself with his wife's body. As he moved slowly inside of her, he unbuttoned the shirt she was wearing so that her breasts were completely exposed to him. The nipples were already hard and he lowered his head to gently flick his tongue against one, while his hand and thumb teased the other one. Carly arched her back, wanting and needing more. She moaned when Jack sucked one nipple into his mouth, lavishing it with his tongue. He switched sides and teased the other nipple with his mouth and tongue, driving her crazy with longing.

"Don't stop Jack," she breathed heavily. She could feel her body responding once again to his touch. He continued to move inside her and she lifted her hips and met Jack for thrust, urging him deeper and faster. His lips sought hers. His tongue caressed her lower lip causing her mouth to part and his tongue delved inside. Carly's body tingled all over. She'd missed this. Missed being intimate with him. Jack pushed harder, keeping up the carnal rhythm until one final thrust pushed him over the edge. They held each other, breathing heavy until their spasms finally subsided.

Still connected, Jack leaned up on an elbow and gazed down at her beautiful face. He smiled sweetly as he brushed a strand of hair away from her face. There was a sheen of perspiration all over her body as well as his own.

"That was amazing," she sighed contentedly, looking up at him. She rubbed his bicep with her fingertips.

"I agree," he said giving her shoulder a kiss. "Sorry if that wasn't exactly what you had planned," he grinned sheepishly. "It's just that it had been so long… and you have this way of making me loose control. I just can't help myself when I'm around you," he told her, raising an eyebrow. He reached out and cupped her cheek and gently brushed his thumb against her lower lip. Her breath caught as his hand trailed down her neck and between her breasts, where it moved off to the side and lightly grazed her nipple. The slight touch instantly caused the nipple to harden and Carly's breath became erratic as she, once again felt the stirrings of passion deep inside. Jack's eyes registered her body's response and they smoldered with desire as they bore into hers. She could feel the length of him harden inside her once again and she began to move her hips creating those exquisite sensations once more.

"I love you," he said huskily as he moved slowly inside her.

"I love you too," she said, "but right now… no more talking," she gasped. A low moan escaped her lips and she closed her eyes.

Jack's eyes sparkled mischievously. He had no problems obeying that command…

_Meanwhile, on the other side of town… _

Daryl sat behind the wheel of his car in traffic on his way back to the Lakeview. Despite being anxious about getting there, he was grateful for the extra time to sit and really think about how he wanted to handle things. He was stopped at a red light and nervously tapped the steering wheel with his thumbs. He'd changed his mind about a million times in the twenty minutes he'd been in the car so far. Should he call her first? Should he stop and get some flowers and a bottle of wine? Or perhaps he should just stop by and surprise her? But what if she wasn't there… Maybe he should make dinner reservations? He was so lost in thought that he didn't noticed that the light had changed and that the cars in front of him had begun to drive away. A honk from the car behind him brought him out of his own thoughts and he waved a hand as a gestured apology and started forward.

Another twenty minutes later and he finally pulled into the Lakeview parking garage and made his way up to his room on the eleventh floor. He decided to take a shower first and change his clothes from the flight. He stopped and glanced at his reflection in the mirror before leaving his room. He had chosen a dark blue dress shirt with a tie in a slightly darker shade that had a tiny pattern to go along with it. A dark gray suit completed the ensemble. The suit looked good on him but something wasn't right. It was too formal. More like he was heading to a business meeting or interview. He needed to loosen up. He quickly took the tie off and undid the top button of his shirt and reexamined himself in the mirror. Better he thought. He finished by unbuttoning his sport coat and grabbing his room keycard. He took a deep breath to help calm his nerves and headed out the door.

Daryl had opted to go with the element of surprise and decided not to call Rosanna before hand. He took the elevator up to her floor and walked down the hall toward her room, chuckling to himself as he did. His palms were sweaty and his stomach was doing cartwheels. _Some tough FBI Agent he was_, he thought to himself as he shook his head. If the boys at the bureau could see him now… he'd never hear the end of it. Smiling, he stopped in front of her door and knocked. He waited a few moments before knocking again. Still no answer. Immediately, his brain began sorting through all sorts of scenarios. Was she inside and purposely not answering the door because she knew it was him? Or was she really out and perhaps visiting with Carly? He decided to try and give her a call. He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out his phone and pressed "call" on his phone. He waited for her to answer. Nothing. Frustrated, he headed downstairs to the lounge. Perhaps she was at dinner. If not, a seat at the bar would give him a view of the lobby and he might be able to catch a glimpse of her at the elevators as she headed back to her suite. He rode the elevator down and headed into the lounge. Glancing around the room, he didn't spot her anywhere. He took a seat at the bar and decided to try her cell phone again. Still no answer. Worry began to creep into the far corner of his mind. He hoped she was alright. He'd rather have her mad and not answering her phone versus the alternative of her having been in an accident and perhaps lying unconscious somewhere all alone. With his mind racing he decided to check with the front desk.

"Excuse me," he said politely as he walked up to the counter, "I was wondering if you might have seen Ms. Rosanna Cabot this evening?"

The woman at the front desk smiled. "I'm sorry; I haven't seen her since this afternoon. She was on her way out. She stopped by to let us know that she would be staying elsewhere this evening and that she wouldn't need a paper delivered tomorrow morning."

A thousand thoughts filled his mind… most of them laced with jealousy.

It was at this moment, that Craig exited the elevators. He'd come down to the lounge for dinner and a drink. Johnny was staying with his grandmother Barbara and her boy toy hubby, Henry for the evening. Craig still couldn't understand that relationship at all. He'd, of course, been married to Barbara for a short time many years ago. And while theirs was no love match, he did feel like he'd gotten to know her pretty well. He also knew Henry Coleman through various business dealings. Craig never would have paired the two of them together. As far as Craig was concerned, Henry wasn't much different than himself. He liked money and Barbara had a lot of it. That was about the extent of it as far as Craig was concerned. The thought that perhaps one if not both of them had changed and decided they wanted more out of life, never occurred to him. He fixed his tie as he headed toward the lounge when he spied Daryl at the front desk. He slid back out of view and listened in.

"Would you like to leave a message for Ms. Cabot? We'll make sure she gets it as soon as she gets back," the front desk manager offered.

"No, that's alright. Never mind," Daryl said disappointedly as he backed away from the counter. "I'll try and reach her again another time."

"Is there anything else I can help you with?" she asked.

"No."

Craig smiled in delicious satisfaction at the other man's disappointment. Hmmm, it appeared that he and Rosanna were still on the outs. Perfect, Craig thought to himself. That's just the way he wanted it. Unfortunately for Craig, or as luck would have it for Daryl, Lisa Grimaldi came walking around the corner and nearly bumped into Daryl.

"Why Mr. Sullivan, it's so nice to see you again. I was thrilled to hear you'll be staying here in Oakdale," she said kindly.

"Why thank you Ms. Grimaldi. That's very kind of you to say."

"No need for such formalities. Call me Lisa," she said giving his arm a playful pat. Lisa hadn't lost a step over the years in her ability to flirt with the best of them. She could tell that something was bothering him.

"Is everything alright with your room?" she asked concerned. "Are you being treated well?"

"Absolutely. The service here is impeccable… and I should know. I've spent a lot of time in hotels all over the world," he said giving her a compliment.

She smiled up at him. No one enjoyed a man's attention more than Lisa. "You are so sweet," she told him. "I'm glad to hear your stay has been a good one. Though I am most upset about what happened to you. I just can't believe that that all took place here in this place. I never would of thought…" she trailed off not wanting to finish the thought about Julia.

"Nothing about that was your fault and I certainly don't hold you responsible," he assured her.

"Well good! Just remember, if there's anything you need all, you have to do is ask."

Daryl rewarded her with a grin. Perhaps Lisa had seen Rosanna. It was worth a shot. "Actually now that I think about it, I was wondering if you'd seen Rosanna?" he asked her.

"No not recently."

"Oh," he said unable to hide the disappointment in his voice.

"Is everything alright between you two? I've noticed that you have been spending quite a bit of time together," she smiled.

"Sure, things are fine," he lied not wanting to go into details. "I have been out of town the last couple of days and was hoping to see her tonight."

"Well, I think she might be over at Lily's. I think Carly had something planned for Jack this evening because Lily had arranged for dinner for the two of them. You might check over there," she suggested.

Daryl's face lit up with a big grin. The most basic possibility had eluded him. "Thank you so much Lisa," he said as he leaned down and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"Oh!" she exclaimed. "You're welcome… anytime," she flirted.

Daryl smiled as he turned and headed for the gift shop. He decided in that moment to stop and get some flowers to bring over to her.

Around the corner, of course, Craig had overheard the entire exchange. As Daryl headed toward the gift shop, Craig headed for the garage and his car. He would make sure he'd beat Daryl over to Lily's. He wasn't about to let that guy get another shot at Rosanna…

_Across town…_

Lily was upstairs with Ethan and Rosanna in the living room rocking with Michael. He'd just finished a bottle and she'd changed his diaper and gotten him into his sleeper. She was humming him a lullaby. As she sat alone with just the baby, memories of Cabot couldn't help but come flooding back. She rocked him gently, rubbing his back as the tears welled in her eyes. The short time she'd spent being a mother to Cabot had been the happiest she'd ever been. She'd craved a child for years and years and finally she'd been given the greatest gift and blessed with the tiny baby boy. She'd fallen in love with him instantly. He'd been the light of her life until that fateful day when she'd learned the truth. She'd never been so scared in her entire life. She'd wanted to run away with him and disappear. She'd nearly done it too, but the words of her sister and Paul had helped her realize that a life on the run wouldn't have been possible forever. At some point they would have been caught and he'd be taken from her. If she made the decision at least it would be on her terms and in her own way… it had been the hardest thing she'd ever had to do. She glanced down at the tiny baby in her arms and smiled wistfully. Someday, she hoped things would be different. Someday, she hoped she'd be holding a baby of her own. Michael was sleeping peacefully. Rosanna got up slowly and carried him upstairs and put him down in his crib.

She headed back downstairs to pick up the scattered baby items all over the living room when there was a knock at the door. She hurried to the door so that another knock wouldn't wake Michael.

"Hello Rosanna," Craig beamed.

"Craig… what are you doing here?" Rosanna asked a bit confused. Craig was the last person she expected to see.

"Do you mind if I come in?" he asked. Not waiting for an answer, he pushed open the door and walked past her into the living room.

"Where is everyone?" he asked looking around.

Sighing, Rosanna shut the door and followed him into the living room.

"Would you keep it down," she scolded. "I just put Michael down."

"Where's Carly?"

"That's none of your business. She's not here though, so if you stopped by to see her you can leave."

"I didn't come by to see Carly. I came by because I knew you were here," he admitted.

"Why?"

"I thought we should talk," he said vaguely just trying to keep the conversation going.

"What do we have to talk about?"

Craig quickly fumbled around and came up with something quick. Something he knew would get her talking.

"You said you'd come by and hang out with Johnny and me sometime… I thought perhaps we could do something tomorrow?"

"I'm sorry I can't tomorrow. I'm watching Michael for Carly until tomorrow afternoon and then Parker's graduation is tomorrow night," she told him. "But I do want to see Johnny some time. I do miss him."

"And he misses you. We both do," Craig added softly lowering his voice for effect.

"Craig," Rosanna began.

"Please don't say it Rosanna. Just listen to me. I was an idiot. I know that you are still upset with me and you have every right to be," he added quickly as she was about to interrupt him. "But I am broken man without you. I need you in my life."

"I don't know what to say," Rosanna said softly.

"Don't say anything. Just think about it. Think about us and all the good times. We had a lot of good times Rosanna," he said reaching out and touching her cheek. She closed her eyes at the touch.

"Yes we did, but there were a lot of bad times too," she whispered thinking back once again to Cabot. She turned her head and folded her arms in front of her in a protective way. Almost as if she was trying to block out all the pain.

Craig could sense the change in her and he could see that something was bothering her. He glanced around the room casually and his eyes fell on a pacifier sitting on the table near the sofa. He had nothing to loose at this point and decided to do whatever he could and play the hand dealt to him.

"You're thinking about Cabot… aren't you?"

"How did you know that?" she questioned as she spun around and faced him once more.

"I miss him too, Rosanna."

"Really?" she asked her voice barely audible.

"Of course. I wanted him to be ours. I wanted to be able to give you a child. I just went about it the wrong way," he admitted.

Tears welled in her eyes and she stood there, numb.

Without waiting, Craig walked forward slowly and wrapped his arms around her and held her close. She stood there, stiff for a moment and then finally released the pent up emotions and cried against his shoulder. He held her gently, stroking her hair.

Lily headed downstairs after reading Ethan a bedtime story. She was heading down the stairs when she heard a car pull up into the driveway. She peaked out the window and saw Daryl getting out of his car. Surprised to see him back in Oakdale, she opened the front door and waited for him out on the front porch.

"Daryl!" she smiled as he made his way up the steps carrying flowers. "I didn't expect to see you so soon. I thought you'd headed back to Washington."

"Hi Lily," he said coming up to her and giving her a hug. "My plans changed. I've decided to join the Oakdale PD."

"Wow, I had no idea! Does Jack know? Because from what I heard, he didn't think you were coming back," she told him.

"I told him on the flight out to New York," he told her.

"That's fantastic news. I'm sure Rosanna will be thrilled to hear it," she said indicating to the roses in his hand.

"Speaking of Rosanna," he began, "Is she here?"

"Yes. I think she's upstairs with Michael trying to put him down. Go on into the living room and I'll go get her."

"Don't tell her who's here, I'd like to surprise her," he grinned turning and heading inside.

Lily smiled as he walked past and then her eye caught another car in the driveway. Was that Craig's car? "Oh no," she said out loud. "This isn't good…" she said as she hurried inside.

Daryl had walked into the living room and stumbled upon Rosanna in Craig's arms. He was resting his cheek on her head and stroking her back. Daryl stood there mutely, not knowing what to say. Craig happened to hear someone enter the room and pulled back and turned toward the sound. Upon seeing his rival for Rosanna's affection, he smiled with deep satisfaction. Had Daryl been paying attention he would have noticed, but he only had eyes for Rosanna. Rosanna pulled back slightly from Craig and wiped her eyes and turned. Her eyes found Daryl's and locked. She looked at him with a mixture of shock and confusion. She couldn't believe she was actually seeing him.

"Daryl?" she asked pulling out of Craig's embrace and turning to face him.

"I'm sorry. It looks like I'm interrupting," Daryl said coldly.

"Yes you are," Craig chimed in.

"Craig, please!" Rosanna scolded him over her shoulder. "What are you doing here?" she asked turning back to Daryl.

"Obviously making a huge mistake," he said sadly as he turned and headed for the front door.

"Daryl wait," Rosanna called after him. She made to follow after him but Craig grabbed her hand and pulled her back toward him.

"Let go of me!" Rosanna shouted at him, trying to jerk her hand free of his.

"Rosanna, we aren't through talking," Craig pleaded with her.

"I mean it Craig… let go of me this instant!" Craig reluctantly released her.

"Rosanna please. He's not worth it," he shouted after her as she ran after Daryl.

Daryl stormed out of the house and past an apologetic Lily. He dropped the flowers on the front porch and got in his car. He caught sight of Rosanna coming out of the house but he didn't want to even hear anything she had to say. Obviously there was something there still between her and Craig. He'd know a bit about their past and knew they had a history. He'd hoped that things were over between them, but perhaps that had been a mistake. He backed out of the driveway and drove back to the Lakeview.

Rosanna stood in the driveway watching his car until it disappeared from view. She was so surprised to see him. What was he doing here? Hadn't he returned to Washington? She was thoroughly confused. She turned and headed back toward the house. As she climbed the steps she found the abandoned flowers on the step. She stopped and picked them up. They were absolutely beautiful. A dozen roses in various shades of peach and pink. She walked quietly back into the house. Craig was still waiting for her in the living room as was Lily. He smiled when she saw that she returned alone.

"You couldn't stop him?" Lily asked.

"No," Rosanna said softly still not taking her eyes off the flowers in her hand.

"Well serves him right. He should have called first before coming over," Craig said smugly.

"Did you call first Craig?" Lily asked casting him a look.

"That's different. I'm family," he reasoned.

"Oh brother," Lily said rolling her eyes. "Are you ok, Rosanna?"

"She's fine," Craig assured her.

"You know, I'll watch Michael if you want to go after him and try and talk," Lily offered.

Rosanna stood silently, her eyes still on the flowers. She looked up at Craig and then back down at the flowers. It all came down to this moment for Rosanna. She bit her lip as she had an internal conversation with herself.

_What did she want? Did she want to continue to live her life the way she had been? Always wanting, never knowing. Perhaps trying once more with Craig only to get burned again. Or, did she go the other route? Did she decide that she wanted the possibility of more? She yearned for a real relationship with someone that she could trust and love and respect. Could she ever have that with Craig? _

She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She looked back up at both of them and smiled…


	62. Chapter 62

_*** First off, I want to thank all of you for your continued interest in this story. I'm so sorry for the long time in between chapters... forgive me! I can't promise, but I hope to be quicker with the next one... which will be the end of this particular story. However, I do plan on continuing my CarJack fanfic and start up a new one where this will end off. Again, I so appreciate all the feedback throughout this journey of mine into writing. I've never really done anything like this before and it's been such a fun and rewarding experience. Thank you all for sharing it with me! :) ~B **_

**C****hapter Sixty-Two**

Daryl sat on a barstool in the lounge at the Lakeview. He stared into his drink, his thoughts consumed by Rosanna. Images of Craig's arms wrapped around her swan through his mind like the ice cubes floating around the inside of his glass. He swirled the amber liquid around hoping that the visions would disappear. It didn't work. He quickly downed the drink and motioned to the bartender for another.

The entire drive from Lily's had been a blur. He couldn't remember a thing and the still rational part of him was glad he hadn't hit anything or anyone on the way back to the hotel. The other part of him was wandering down a dangerous path.

The bartender quickly refilled his glass and Daryl once more tried to block the image of Craig and Rosanna from his mind…

_Across town…_

Rosanna had run upstairs and grabbed a sweater and her purse before hurrying back downstairs.

"Are you sure about this?" Rosanna asked once more looking at Lily.

"Of course I can take care of Michael. Just go and talk to Daryl," she assured her.

"Rosanna don't go," Craig chimed in. "You and I… we're made to be together. You felt it too, I know you did. We made progress today. I feel like we can start again," Craig pleaded.

"Start what?"

Rosanna stopped and looked at him waiting for an answer. It was true. She'd felt closer to him today. Closer than she'd felt in a really long time. Was Craig right? They did have history on their side. But was that enough? _"No," _a little voice spoke out inside her head. While they had had some good times, there were also a lot of really horrible times.

Hadn't she learned her lesson by now? She had constantly made bad choices one right after the other because she was lonely or desperate or, let's face it… both. The last several relationships were all disastrous. Shouldn't that tell her something?

She had last gotten together with Craig while he was still technically engaged to her sister. He had tried to be good but, Craig being Craig couldn't help himself. He justified and excused their indiscretion until he'd convinced her that it was ok. And then, once Carly had come home, he found himself drawn back to her and even tried to sleep with her again before he and Rosanna were to be married. After all of that, she had still agreed to go ahead with the wedding… what did that say about her? _"Desperate!" _the voice shouted in her head. Granted she didn't end up marrying him but she was _thisclose_ to actually going through with it.

"Rosanna… please stay. Can't we at least talk about what just happened?" Craig said softly coming up behind her and putting his hands on her shoulders. He gave them a small squeeze and turned her slowly around so that she faced him.

Rosanna looked up into his face and opened her mouth to speak but then closed it again. He smiled at her. As she stood there, she began to recognize that old familiar feeling. She'd been here like this with him… vulnerable. She'd given into those feelings because she knew them, knew Craig, knew the risk. He wrapped his arms around her and gently pulled her to him but Rosanna placed her hands against his chest - bracing herself.

"No Craig. We can't do this," she said softly.

"Yes we can Rosanna. You feel it, I know you do."

"I do," she admitted quietly. "But this time, I want more."

"So do I," Craig argued.

"But what I want… you can't give to me," she said meeting his eyes. Craig stood still and looked at her.

"What are you talking about?" he asked. Craig was thoroughly confused. "I can give you anything… anything you want. All you need to do is ask."

"No, you can't. I need more than empty promises and that's all you're really capable of," she said quietly.

Craig stepped back looking wounded. "I have always loved you Rosanna. From the moment we met. Only you have ever challenged me. I need that in my life."

"And what does that say about us? I challenge you? That's not love. You've never been able to give me your whole self. There's always a part of you that you won't share with anyone. A part of you that you can't allow anyone to get close to. Why else did you continuously sabotage our relationship?"

"Yes, yes. In the past that may have been true, but listen to me Rosanna. I swear that you have all of me. It has taken me a long time to realize that, but it's true. I know that now."

"I know you believe that," she said turning away from him. "But I'm not willing to risk my future. Not this time. I have a chance at something more. Something I've never had and I'm not going to throw that away. I'm sorry Craig," she said turning around to face him once more. "I don't want to hurt you, but I need to do what's best for me."

"And you think this Daryl guy is best for you?" he sneered.

"I think he could be… if I let him. In the past I might have been too scared to try but at this point I need to find out."

"He's not right for you Rosanna. You'll see - he'll break your heart."

"I'm going to have to take that chance. Besides, better him than you breaking it again. We've been down this road too many times. I won't go down it again."

She looked up at him, resolute in her decision. Craig could tell he wasn't going to be able to change her mind… at least not tonight. He sighed, frustrated. He had been so close. If only Daryl hadn't shown up when he did, things could have gone much differently. Well, history had shown Craig that there was always tomorrow. He'd leave and concede this victory to Daryl but Craig wasn't going anywhere. If Daryl thought he'd give up without a fight, he could think again. Craig squared his shoulders and took a deep breath. If Daryl wanted a fight… a fight he would get. He leaned down and gently placed a kiss on Rosanna's cheek.

"I want nothing but the best for you," he told her.

"Thank you Craig. That means a lot. And just know, that I want the same for you," she replied.

"Unfortunately that's not going to happen. You've made that clear," he said.

"Craig," Rosanna sighed closing her eyes.

"No, I'm not trying to make you feel guilty," he lied. "I'm just being honest with you. You are the best thing for me."

"I know that there's someone out there that can make you happy. Someone _other_ than me," she added when she saw he was about to interrupt her. "I have to go," she said turning from him and heading toward the door.

Craig watched her leave, thinking all the while. Craig was going to make it his mission to find out all he could about this Daryl Sullivan…

_Meanwhile…_

Jack walked barefoot from the kitchen back up to the bedroom carrying two spoons and a carton of Ben and Jerry's, taking the steps two at a time. He meandered down the hall and stopped short as he entered the bedroom. He leaned up against the door frame and just stood there, mesmerized.

Carly puttered around the room, picking up various articles of clothing that had been shed hastily about the room. She too was barefoot and wearing nothing but one of his shirts again. This time one it was one of his polo shirts from work with OPD printed on the upper left shoulder. While Jack was downstairs getting the ice cream she'd dug through the bag he'd packed for his trip and found this one folded at the bottom. He watched her move about the room and he once more felt his body's response at the sight of her. Her hair was a bit disheveled, just the way he liked it and her cheeks were still a little flushed from their love-making.

"God, you're beautiful," he whispered huskily.

Carly grinned as she turned her head toward him. She bent over purposely to pick up a sock, giving him a brief glimpse under the shirt and confirming for him that this was indeed the only thing she had on. Jack gave her a low, sexy chuckle as he slowly walked over to her and gave her soft tap on her butt for good measure.

"Owww," Carly exclaimed standing upright and playfully hitting him on the arm before he climbed up onto the bed. "What was that for?" she questioned him.

"You know exactly what that was for. Trying to tempt me again," he scolded mockingly.

"Trying? I think I'm definitely succeeding," she replied saucily as her eyes traveled from his downward to where she saw clearly how much she was affecting him. Jack blushed in response knowing there was no way he was going to win that argument.

"You know, every time I wear that shirt from now on… this is what I'm going to be thinking about," he grinned raising an eyebrow.

"I know," she smiled mischievously. "Why do you think I put it on?"

"Get up here," he said patting the empty bed beside him and he pulled back the covers for her to join him. Jack opened the container of ice cream and handed Carly a spoon as she slid under the covers next to him. Jack leaned back against the headboard and Carly snuggled into the crook of his arm as she held the container while they both took a few spoonfuls of the rocky road ice cream.

"I can't believe you made sure to have ice cream in the freezer," Jack laughed.

"Are you kidding? When I came up with this plan it was the first thing on my list," she giggled. "I know how much you like your ice cream afterwards…" Carly took a scoop of ice cream with her spoon and fed it to Jack. His eyes blazed with desire as he licked the chocolate off his lips.

"Sometimes I like it before too," his eyes found her lips.

"I think you missed a spot," she told him, her voice barely above a whisper as she leaned forward and gently licked the tiny bit of chocolate ice cream at the corner of his mouth.

"Mmmmm," she breathed heavily and she licked her own lips for effect.

Jack quickly grabbed the ice cream from her along with her spoon and set them on the nightstand. Carly grinned wickedly as Jack rolled back toward her and quickly settled himself between her legs. Though he still wore his pajama bottoms, Carly could feel the hardness of him. She ached to have him inside her once again. It had been so long since they'd been together that it might take all night to satisfy that built up desire. Carly moved against him causing a hitch in Jack's breath. She wrapped her arms around his waist and pulled him as close as she could. She turned her head and gave his shoulder a kiss before giving it a nip with her teeth. Jack moaned in response as one of his hands slipped under the hem of the shirt she was wearing and made contact with her moist center. He slowly slid a finger inside. He watched her face as he teased her… pure ecstasy etched on her beautiful features. Carly began pulling at him wanting more but still he continued his delicious torture.

"Jack… please!" she breathed heavily. "I need you."

He kissed her neck, tracing circles with his tongue on her skin. She shivered at the sensation and Jack once again moaned in satisfaction. Nothing turned him on more than eliciting these kinds of reactions in her. He knew her body so well and he used that knowledge to send her near the breaking point. Carly reached down between them to tug at his pants and brushed her hand against the hot length of him.

"One of us is wearing too much," she growled.

"Indeed," he breathed against her neck, his breath hot against her flesh.

Jack began to lift the hem of her shirt and slowly exposed her breasts to his hungry appetite.

"I didn't mean me," Carly laughed huskily as she continued to try and remove the barrier between herself and him. But Jack wouldn't budge until he succeeded in removing the t-shirt from her entirely. He pulled it up and over her head and growled in victory as his mouth claimed hers.

Jack lowered his head and sucked one of her nipples into his mouth and Carly's hand fell still as she succumbed to the sensation. She closed her eyes and arched her back allowing him full access. Jack smiled as his hand reached up and cupped other breast and teased the hardened nipple with his thumb and fore finger. Carly's hands wove themselves into Jack's hair and she sighed.

Jack trailed kisses back up her neck and eventually his lips found her mouth where she quickly opened hers to him. His tongue dove inside and entwined with hers as he reached down to remove his pants. Carly quickly helped him free himself of them and he settled himself at her opening. She lifted her hips hoping for quick entry but Jack had other ideas. He rolled to his back pulling her with him so that she way lying on top of him. Her hair spilled out of the clip that had been barely holding it up and it fell against his chest creating a heavenly sensation. Carly lifted her head and she pushed herself up so that she looked down into his handsome face. His eyes were dark with desire and his breathing was uneven. She kissed his chest and repositioned herself so that she straddled him. His hands reached for her hips, helping to guide her oh so slowly until he filled her completely. Their eyes never wavering from each other. Carly braced her hands against his chest as she slowly and seductively began to move. Jack groaned, moistening his lips as he breathed faster. He reached up with both hands and cupped her breasts. Carly threw her head back and continued to rock against Jack slow and steady. Jack's patience was waning and his hands found her hips again. He gripped them tightly and pumped against her harder and faster. Carly cried out as she climaxed and Jack's body immediately responded to hers. She collapsed against his chest, out of breath. He kissed the top of her head as his own breathing slowly returned to normal. He could feel her heart beating against his chest and smiled. The beating of their hearts melded and felt like one. He rubbed her back and she shivered slightly. He pulled her down beside him and grabbed the sheet from the foot of the bed and pulled it up and over both of them. He wrapped an arm around her waist, snuggling against her to warm her up.

"Is that better?" he asked softly in her ear.

"It's perfect," she smiled, her eyes still closed. "How 'bout you?"

"There's no place on earth I'd rather be," he said, his voice low. Carly's heart beat wildly at the sound. She loved his voice when it was low like that and he spoke to her.

"I could stay like this forever," she smiled.

"I'd like to keep you like this forever too," he chuckled. "I love it when you're naked," he nibbled at her neck.

"Yes, I know you do. Hence the container of half melted ice-cream on our new nightstand," she giggled.

"Oh honey… I'm sorry," he apologized as he began to sit up to take care of it.

"I'm not," she told him as she turned in his arms, effectively stopping his movement. "I don't care about the ice cream or the nightstand. Tonight was about us… just the two of us… reconnecting. It was perfect. Melted ice cream and all," she said sincerely reaching up and brushing her hand against his stubbled cheek.

"You're right. It was perfect. Thank you," he said as he softly brushed his lips against hers. He pulled back and smiled down at her and she wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head against his chest. He gently rubbed her back and he could feel her body relax as she drifted off to sleep. Jack sighed contentedly knowing he was right where he belonged. He hugged her and kissed her head once more before sleep found him too.

_Back at the Lakeview…_

Daryl paid his tab at the bar and slowly made his way back upstairs to his room. He wasn't to the point of being fall-down drunk but his emotions had definitely been dulled by the alcohol he'd consumed in a short amount of time. Having had nothing to eat in several hours also contributed to his current slightly inebriated state. He made his way to the elevator and up to his floor. As he walked down the hall toward his room, he fumbled through his pockets for his key card. He found it and awkwardly slid the card into the device. The device clicked allowing him access to his room. Before he could open the door, however, a voice spoke from behind him.

"I've been waiting for you."

Daryl stood motionless for a moment before slowly turning around to face Rosanna.

"What do you want?" he asked quietly.

"I wanted to talk to you," she said softly. "I saw you downstairs at the bar, but felt we needed the privacy so I decided to wait for you up here."

"Clearly, everything's already been said," he mumbled as he turned around to open the door to his room.

"I don't think so," she said quickly. "Why didn't you tell me you were planning on staying in Oakdale?" she demanded.

"What!" he said loudly as he rounded on her. "Are you kidding me? I tried to tell you before my trip back to Washington but you didn't want to hear anything I had to say. _Remember_?" he accused her, rather than asked.

Rosanna lowered her eyes a moment before looking back up into his face. "Yes. I realize that there was some confusion about what was going on," she said gently.

"Well I tried to clear things up tonight but it was pretty obvious to me what's really going on," he sneered at her. He turned around again and fumbled with the door before it opened. He walked in and tossed the key card on the table beside the door.

"Go home Rosanna. You don't need to worry about me. I got the message loud and clear," he said sadly as he turned to face her.

He began to close the door, but Rosanna quickly put out a hand to stop him.

"There's nothing going on between Craig and me," she stated.

Daryl stood there for a moment trying to reason in his head what she was saying versus what he'd seen earlier. She could tell he was having a hard time believing her so she continued on.

"Craig stopped by… _uninvited_," she added for affect. "I won't lie to you… he does want us to be together again."

Daryl laughed and shook his head.

"But _I_ don't want that," she said quietly looking right into his eyes.

The sardonic smile faded as he looked into her blue eyes trying to decipher if she was telling him the whole truth. He wanted to believe her. Wanted to believe that there was a chance for them to try and see where this would go. Almost afraid to ask, he decided to anyway. He needed to hear her say it.

"What do you want?" he asked his voice barely above a whisper.

For as powerful a business woman as Rosanna was, she'd never felt more vulnerable standing there in front of this man. A man whom she wanted desperately to have a real relationship with. Someone she felt she could count on always and never have to worry about the lies and the schemes that she'd become so accustomed to. This was it. The moment where she opened her heart. Opened it up to the all the wondrous possibilities that love had to offer. But also to all the pain that could come with it. Was she ready? Could she give herself completely? She looked into his eyes and she knew the answer to that question.

"I want you," she whispered her eyes never leaving his.

Daryl stood there a moment trying to decide whether or not he heard her correctly or if it was only his mind hoping to have heard those words he'd desperately wanted to hear her say.

Rosanna raised her chin defiantly proving to him that she'd definitely meant what she'd said and a slow grin spread across his handsome face. Relief washed over her and she returned his smile. He reached out and grabbed her hand and gently pulled her into his room closing the door softly behind her. She stood there with her back to him facing the room anxious and feeling awkward. She felt like some young inexperience girl rather than a woman who'd seen more than her fair share of relationships. Something about this felt completely new and Rosanna didn't have a clue how to respond. Daryl walked up behind her and placed his hands on arms as he kissed the back of her neck. She leaned back into him and immediately began to relax. His hands found her waist and spun her around to face him. He reached up and brushed her hair away from her face as he leaned in and slowly kissed her. He pulled back just as slowly as he stared down into her face and looked at her a moment before he spoke.

"You have no idea how upset I was when I saw you with Craig," he began.

"It wasn't what it looked like," she tried to explain.

"No Rosanna just let me finish." He took a deep breath and started again. "When I saw the two of you… when he had his arms around you… I've never felt so jealous in all my life. I wanted to hit him," he said half embarrassed. Rosanna kept quiet and offered only a small smile.

"With my job, I've never allowed myself to get too involved with anyone. Maybe it was seeing everything that Jack and Carly went through. That even though a lot of it was horrible… seeing the love between them, seeing them depend and rely on each other so completely… I realized that a huge part of my life has been missing. I've never felt that I've needed someone to share it with until now. I want to share my life with you," he said sincerely.

Rosanna felt like her heart was going to burst it was so happy. She wanted that more than anything. She was scared to try and love again. But she also knew that Daryl was the kind of man she was willing to take that risk for. She reached out and grabbed his arm and gave it a small squeeze.

"That's what I want. I want to share my life with you… build a life with you. So many times I've gone into a relationship because I was desperate for love," she admitted. She averted her eyes and sighed. Daryl reached out and lifted her chin and made her look at him when she began to speak again.

"A part of me is scared that I might be making that same mistake again. That a part of me is desperate… so very desperate to find love with anyone." She looked into his eyes as her own filled with tears. "I don't want to mess this up," she whispered afraid.

"I don't either," he admitted. "This is new for me, Rosanna. I won't promise you that we won't have problems… everyone does."

"Some more than others," she said ashamedly.

"But I will promise you that I won't walk away. That I will always stay and try and work things out for as long as you'll have me," he grinned.

"I promise that too," she smiled back through her tears. He pulled her into his arms and hugged her until her tears subsided. He stroked her back and kissed the side of her head. Rosanna stilled for a moment before turning her head toward his. He reached out and brushed the last few tears from her cheek. Rosanna lips parted as she rubbed her cheek against his hand before leaning in. She paused inches from his mouth before kissing him. He kissed her back a little tentative at first but then he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close while the other threaded itself through her hair to the back of her neck. She wound her arms around him kissed him back passionately as they made their way further inside the room…


	63. Chapter 63

_*Author's Note: Well, the day has finally arrived and this will be the final chapter of Unfinished Business. Thanks for your patience! I want to give each of you a thank you for coming on this journey with me. I have truly enjoyed it and hope you have as well. I do want to add that this is **NOT** the end of my writing for Jack and Carly. As you will see,their story will continue in my next fanfic for them (which is untitled as of now). _

_Thanks again to one and all! _

_~B _

**Chapter Sixty-Three**

Two months had passed since Jack and Carly had moved back into their rebuilt home in Milltown. The summer was in full effect and they were enjoying settling back into a routine. Parker was enjoying his last summer before heading off to attend the police academy in the fall and had been spending most of his time hanging out with Faith. JJ had become reacquainted with old friends and had shown an interest in a girl who'd just moved into a house at the end of the street. Her name was Ashlynn and she was going to be a junior at Oakdale High. JJ had decided to finish up his final year here in Oakdale and Jack and Carly were pretty certain that the arrival of this girl played a major role in JJ's decision. Sage's summer, according to Jack, seemed to have consisted of one huge mall excursion. Jack was having a hard time coming to grips that his baby girl was growing up. She'd started experimenting with makeup (under Carly's watchful eye) much to his chagrin. Thankfully no young men had entered the picture as far as he was aware and Jack was going to make sure that it stayed that way… at least for as long as he could control it. Carly would watch him struggle with Sage becoming a young woman and sympathized with him and the warring of his emotions. She knew he didn't want to hold her back but he definitely wanted her to stay his little girl. Thankfully she hadn't quite outgrown the need to be just that as Carly had more than once come downstairs from putting Michael down for a nap to find Sage curled up on the sofa next to her father watching a Cubs game.

It was times like this that Carly cherished the most but yet there was something bittersweet about it too. She knew with Parker heading away in the fall that this was the last summer that all her kids would be home living with her and Jack. She was bound and determined to make it the most memorable summer ever.

And so far it had been. They'd all been so excited to move back into the house that for the first month it had almost felt like a vacation. Since then they'd gone to Chicago for a Cubs game (leaving Michael with Rosanna) and had family BBQs at least twice a week. Carly had suggested that Jack take the kids camping but all agreed that it wouldn't be the same without Mom and Michael. So instead, Jack and the kids had camped out in the backyard several times. Of course many trips had been made out to the Snyder farm for swims in the pond and horseback riding.

So here it was the beginning of August and Carly, Parker and Michael were out at the farm visiting with Aunt Emma. Faith was at the farm as was Rosanna. Emma had just returned from visiting Meg, who was still out of town at a hospital trying to get well. Emma was delighted to announce that if things continued to improve that Meg would be released in September into Iva's care, since she lived near the facility, so that Meg could continue with her treatment sessions. If Meg continued to show improvement beyond that she would be allowed to come back home to Oakdale. Emma was beyond thrilled by the progress she was making and she was certain her youngest would be home before Christmastime. Both Carly and Rosanna were happy for Emma and for Meg. Carly hoped that Meg had truly gotten herself together. Having another, possibly unstable woman in town was just a little too unsettling for Carly to think about this soon after the whole Julia situation.

It was now that Parker and Faith walked into the kitchen and announced that they were heading to Al's to meet up with JJ, Ashlynn and a few other friends.

"Don't forget to pick up Sage on your way home," Carly reminded him.

Parker rolled his eyes. Seeing as he was the only kid with a car, it had fallen to him to do most of the taxing of Sage between the mall and home.

"Of course I won't forget," he sighed. "But I swear Mom, if she makes me wait for her again…" he left the threat dangling as he shook his head.

"I know and she knows too that she won't be going back there again for at least a week if it happens again," Carly assured him with a smile.

"You two have fun," Emma said standing up to give each of them a hug before they left. "And thank you for helping me with the horses today," she smiled gratefully.

"You're welcome Grandma," Faith replied giving her a peck on the cheek before following Parker to the door. He held open the kitchen door for her and waved at everyone before disappearing after Faith.

"So tell me about Daryl. How are things going between you, sweetie?" asked Emma giving Rosanna a pat on the hand.

"Really, really well," she grinned broadly. "We've been taking things slowly and making sure we don't make any mistakes."

"That's good," Emma smiled pleased by the answer. She got up and carried the empty glasses to the sink. Carly however, sat there with something other than a smile on her face.

"What's wrong? I thought you'd be happy about this," Rosanna said to her, more than a little confused by her response.

"I am. I am happy to hear you're happy and that things are going well," Carly replied sincerely. "However…," she continued, "…I'm just not sure that taking things that slowly is the best idea."

"What do you mean?"

"I understand being cautious but don't you think that if you're too cautious that might be a bad thing? I mean a relationship should have passion and energy and make you feel… alive," Carly explained with lots of hand gestures. Her eyes sparkled as she spoke.

"If you're always worried about making mistakes and taking things slowly, then things might become too controlled and you never really let yourself just be yourself. And you certainly won't really get to know the other person. Does that make sense?"

Rosanna lowered her eyes and shifted awkwardly in her chair.

"Now now, Carly. Don't give Rosanna a hard time," Emma said gently. "She's had a rough time in the relationship department. She just wants to make sure to do things right."

"I'm not trying to give her a hard time," Carly said somewhat defensively. While she and Rosanna had had a sordid past, they had moved on from that a long time ago and Carly certainly wouldn't begrudge her sister anything. Especially if she'd finally found some happiness. "I just want to make sure that she's actually enjoying the relationship."

Emma opened her mouth to reply but Rosanna spoke first.

"It's ok Emma," Rosanna smiled fondly at the older woman. "I know Carly's heart is in the right place. Besides, she's right. I have been being too cautious," she admitted looking back at Carly.

Carly smiled at her sister. There would have been a time that Rosanna never would have been able to say that.

"It's just that for some of us, it's harder to let loose and just allow things to happen. We all haven't been as fortunate as to have someone as dependable as a Jack Snyder in our lives," Rosanna retorted giving her sister a sideways glance.

"Touché", Carly laughed.

Carly, Rosanna and Emma spent the rest of the afternoon talking about the baby and Rosanna and Daryl's budding relationship. About an hour later, Rosanna, Carly and Michael thanked Emma for a lovely afternoon and headed out their separate ways.

_Across town…_

Jack sat at his desk going over his latest court case and finishing up the last remaining files on his desk. He was ready to be done for the day. He had plans to stop at the grocery store on the way home to pick up some things to BBQ that night.

A few feet away at his own desk sat Daryl. He too was finishing up some paperwork when his phone rang. Upon answering it, he quickly stood up and headed into the empty interrogation room for some privacy. About ten minutes later he emerged just as Jack was pushing in his chair and preparing to head out the door.

"Hey Jack… can I talk to you for a minute?" he asked gesturing into the room.

"Sure, but make it quick. There's a steak with my name on it waiting for me at the store," he grinned.

"Sorry, it won't take long," Daryl said closing the door behind them.

"Who was on the phone?" Jack asked anticipating that this was what Daryl wanted to discuss.

"That was the Bureau. The case I told you about… the last one I had to handle, is about to start and I was wondering if you'd be willing to help me out with it?"

"This is the case with that couple in protective custody until the trial starts?" Jack asked.

"That's the one. So how about it… you in?"

"I'm not sure. For one, you need to check with Margo on that. She's got to give the all clear before I give you an answer. Secondly, what exactly is going to be involved? My family is still healing from our ordeal with Julia. I'm not about to put any of that in jeopardy," he stated firmly.

"I totally understand that. It'll mostly just be monitoring them and keeping them guarded. I plan on doing most of that, but was wondering if you'd be willing to fill in a night or two here or there. It should only be for a couple of weeks. And yes," he began, "I will talk to Margo and get her ok first before I expect you to agree to anything."

"I'll think about it until I hear from Margo," Jack agreed.

"Thanks buddy," Daryl smiled and patted him on the shoulder. "Now you'd better go before someone else buys your steak."

"Don't even joke about that," Jack said seriously as he headed out the door.

Daryl laughed at his friend as headed upstairs to talk to Margo. Apparently the couple was being brought to Oakdale tomorrow and his last assignment working directly for the FBI would begin. He had a few mixed feelings about that. A part of him would definitely miss his time with the bureau. There was always something new and he relished the adrenaline he would get from specific cases. He'd been able to travel to places all over the world that he thought he'd never get a chance to see, albeit while working, but still those were things that he wouldn't get a chance to do much of from now on. However, another part of him was excited to fully begin a new chapter of his life. He and Rosanna were in a good place and things were progressing nicely. He'd found a place to move into and was waiting for the closing date. If everything went well, he'd be living in his new condo the first of September.

He hadn't mentioned it specifically to Rosanna, but he'd wanted to ask her to move in with him. He wasn't sure, however, exactly what her response would be. He believed that a part of her would definitely want to say yes. But there were times when he could see her holding back, not wanting to fully commit herself to anything. It was this part of her that he wasn't so sure about. He knew she'd been burned before by Craig and another guy by the name of Paul Ryan, whom he'd been introduced to briefly just recently. So there was no way for him to know for certain just what her answer would be. Since most of his time over the next few weeks would be devoted to protecting the couple from Chicago, he decided that he'd ask her tonight and give her a chance to think about it while he was otherwise occupied. That way she could make a clear decision on her own… no pressure from him.

Getting lost in his own thoughts, Daryl had arrived at Margo's door. He knocked and proceeded inside after hearing Margo's "enter" from the other side.

_A few hours later… _

Daryl and Rosanna were sitting at a table at the new French restaurant that just opened up called Lune de Minuit. They were finishing up their first course when Daryl decided to bring up the case he'd be starting tomorrow.

"So… I have some news," he began taking a sip of his wine.

Rosanna looked up and judged by his averted eyes that he was uncertain how she was going to take this news. She set her fork down and focused all her attention on him.

Daryl looked up at her before he continued.

"Remember me telling you that there would be one final case I was to finish for the bureau?"

"I do."

"They called me this afternoon and let me know that it would begin tomorrow," he said slowly gauging her reaction.

"Oh," Rosanna said softly. "Well that's sudden. So what does that mean? Do you have to leave for Washington?"

"Actually no. I'll be able to stay right here in Oakdale."

"But…," Rosanna responded. She'd clearly understood there was more to this than he was saying.

"But it's pretty much a 24/7 case. Thankfully it will only be for a couple of weeks instead of the month they initially anticipated. The downside is that I won't be able to be in contact with anyone pretty much the entire time," he explained.

Rosanna could hear the disappointment in his voice which made the news easier to take. He obviously didn't like it anymore than she did and that was comforting.

"Well, I'll miss you," she said sweetly giving him a smile. "But I understand you have a job to do."

Daryl was surprised that she was that understanding about it.

"You're amazing," he smiled back at her.

"It's something I have to get used to, right?"

"Yeah, I suppose it is," he grinned enjoying the sound of that.

"Well let's not worry about all that now. Let's just enjoy the rest of our evening together," she said raising her glass of wine toward him.

"I'll definitely drink to that," he replied raising his own. He took another sip and decided that this was the perfect time to bring up the idea of her moving in with him.

"I have something else I wanted to talk to you about."

"Really? This night is just full of surprises."

He smiled at her. "I may have another one or two up my sleeve that I'm saving for a little later on," he told her lowering his voice so that she was the only one that could hear him.

Despite the room being dimly lit, Daryl could see the blush appear on her cheeks and his smile deepened. She was so beautiful.

"First things first however," he started again. "I've been thinking about it for some time now… I'd really like it if you would think about moving in with me." His smile faded and he could feel himself holding his breath in anticipation of her answer.

Rosanna sat quietly for a moment just staring into his handsome face. She hadn't been expecting that at all. A million emotions warred within her. She didn't want to make the wrong decision and blow everything. It was at that moment she heard it. A tiny voice which sounded familiarly like Carly's telling her to not to over analyze everything and just take a chance… follow your heart.

Her silence prompted Daryl to continue.

"I understand that it's a big decision which is why I wanted to bring it up now. I thought my being away would give you time to think about it and let me know…"

"Yes!" Rosanna blurted out, not waiting for him to finish and surprising herself and him in the process.

"Really? You'll move in with me?" Daryl asked incredulously.

"I'd love to," she said flashing him a brilliant smile.

Daryl decided to show her not in words but in actions exactly how he felt about her decision. He stood up and walked over to her and held out his hand for her to take it. She complied and he gently pulled her out of her chair and into his arms. He lowered his lips and softly kissed her. Rosanna felt her body relax against his as she kissed him back. One of his hands cupped the back of her head as he broke away.

"You won't be sorry," he told her looking into her eyes.

"I think you might be right," she smiled back at him.

_Across town…_

Jack was at home in the backyard finishing up the steaks he'd picked up at the store. JJ and Parker were setting the table while Sage was looking after Michael as Carly stood in the kitchen finishing up the potato salad and asparagus. The backdoor swung open and the sound of sizzling steaks preceded Jack's arrival in the kitchen.

"That smells wonderful," Carly said turning her face and rewarding him with a smile.

"Is everything else about ready?" Jack asked setting the platter down on the counter.

"Just about. The asparagus has about five minutes," Carly said peering into the oven.

"Well, that gives me just the right amount of time to do this," Jack said pulling his wife into his arms.

"I missed you," he said nuzzling her neck.

Carly grinned and she wrapped her arms around her husband.

"Did you miss me?"

"Well I had a nice afternoon over at Emma's with Rosanna," she began.

"That wasn't what I asked," Jack said pulling away from her so he could look down at her face. As soon as he caught the look in her eyes, he knew she'd been teasing him.

Carly smiled wickedly.

"Oh so that's how it's going to be, huh? I tell you that I've missed you and you tell me that you had a pleasant day without me around. Really? You know, you'll be sorry if I end up helping Daryl with his case and I'm not around," he said without thinking.

Carly's face suddenly lost its smile and she stood up straighter.

"What case?" she asked seriously.

Jack sighed knowing he'd stuck his foot in his mouth without thinking.

"Honey…. Don't even worry about it. Nothing is for certain," he tried to assure her.

"What case?" she repeated ignoring him.

"Daryl has one final case to work on for the FBI and he asked for my help."

"What exactly will you be doing?"

"You know I can't really go into that. It's not even for sure. Margo has to approve it."

"Is it dangerous?" Carly asked concern clearly etched on face.

"No, not really."

"Does Rosanna know about this?"

"I'm not sure. You'd probably know that better than I would. I don't really talk to Daryl about Rosanna and I certainly don't know if he's talked to her about it. Please don't worry about it, sweetheart." Jack smiled down at her leaned forward to give her cheek a kiss but Carly turned and walked away from him before his lips could make contact.

"I can tell you that I would be staying her in Oakdale and that it would only be a couple days over the next couple weeks," Jack told her trying his best to assuage her fears.

"You'll be staying here in Oakdale…" Carly stated rather than asked as she turned back around to face him again.

"Yes," Jack replied, realizing that he would have to let her deal with this how she needed to.

"Will you be working with Daryl?"

"It'll be more like I'll take over for him a day here and there," Jack told her giving her as much information as he could.

Carly stood there a moment and let the information sink in. She was clearly trying to figure out what kind of case he'd working on and she was choosing her questions carefully. Jack could almost hear the wheels turning in her mind. He smiled as he watched her.

"Are you going to be guarding someone?" she asked, her bright blue eyes staring intently into his warm brown ones.

Jack was impressed that she pulled that out of nowhere. Carly could tell by the look on his face that she was close.

"Carly I can't talk about it with you, you know that." The tone of his voice gave a hint of scolding.

"Is the person dangerous?" she continued on disregarding what he'd just said.

"No. Now that's it… no more questions. I mean it," he added when she opened her mouth to speak again. Carly stood there and folded her arms clearly unhappy about the end of the discussion. She was worried about him and she knew he was aware that this was her main concern. She also knew that Jack wouldn't do anything too dangerous without having any other choice. This was why she knew that no matter whom this person was that things would be ok. She may not like it and she'd still worry about him, but she was willing to accept it and deal with what she had to. As these thoughts swirled around in her mind, Jack took her silence as an act of defiance.

"Do I have to kiss you into submission?" Jack said lowering his voice as he stepped closer eliminating the space between them.

"Hmmm? Is that what needs to happen? Because I'm more than happy to do it," he grinned suggestively.

"Don't you flirt with me Jack Snyder," she told him stepping back and playing along. She backed up into the kitchen counter unfortunately or fortunately depending on how you looked at it.

Jack took another step and placed his hands on the counter on either side of her pinning her to the spot. Despite being "caught" Carly gave him a defiant look.

"That won't work on me," she told him flatly.

"Oh really?" he said leaning in so that his face was mere inches from hers.

She could smell his cologne, the soap from his shower, his shampoo… _him_. All the smells that when mixed together created that perfect combination that had an intoxicating effect on her. Her eyes fluttered just briefly. She may be acting like she was still upset but that tiny gesture was enough for Jack to know differently. He closed the distance between them and he could feel the electricity. Their foreheads brushed softly against each other just before their lips collided. Her mouth parted instantly and he tasted the sweetness of her. He kept his hands on the counter letting only his mouth explore her. He kissed her slowly and seductively. He moaned slightly and Carly shivered in delight. Her arms wrapped around his waist and pulled him closer but Jack kept his hands free of her. His mouth left hers and found her neck and Carly let escape a little groan of her own. The sound sent a pulse of pure satisfaction coursing through Jack. He loved touching her and kissing her, watching her body come alive for him… and him alone.

It was then that the timer began to ring loudly indicating that the asparagus was done. He kissed her shoulder and pulled back giving her a sexy smile.

"We can finish this later," he whispered breathing heavy.

Carly's own breathing was just as uneven as his. She smiled at him and licked her lips. Jack inhaled sharply at the deliberate act and gave her a knowing look.

"Whatever you say, G-Man."


End file.
